pisses,  JOHN 

3e-juisites  to  our  contry's 

glory  


BV 
4260 
M5 
1849 


DE.  JOHN  PIERCE'S 


ELECTION    SERMON. 


1849, 


]   REQUISITES  TO  OUR  COUNTRY'S  GLORY. 


DISCOURSE    , 

BEFORE 

ii0  folbnnj  totge  Jl  Iriggs, 

GOVERNOR, 

HIS   HONOR  JOHN   REED, 

LIEUTENANT    GOVERNOR, 

»  • 

THE  HONORABLE  COUNCIL, 

AND 

THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS, 

AT 

THE    ANNUAL    ELECTION, 
fc 

WEDNESDAY,  3  JAN.  1849. 


BY   JOHN    PIERCE,  D.  D. 

Senior  Pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  in  Brookline. 



i    .  . 

BOSTON: 

BUTTON  AND  WENTWORTH,  STATB  PBINTERS. 

1849. 


COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 


IN  SENATE,  5  January,  1849. 

ORDERED,  That  Messrs.  Wright  and  Copeland  be  a  committee  to  present  the 
thanks  of  the  Senate  to  the  Rev.  John  Pierce,  D.  D.,  for  the  discourse  delivered  by 
him,  on  the  3d  instant,  before  the  Government  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  to  request 
a  copy  thereof  for  publication. 

CHARLES  CALHOUN,  CLERK. 


DISCOURSE. 


No  subject  seems  more  appropriate  to  the  occa- 
sion, on  which  we  are  assembled,  to  the  Body  to  be 
addressed,  to  the  place,  in  which  we  stand,  or  to  the 
official  station  of  him,  who  is  appointed  to  lead  in 
the  devotions  and  counsels  of  this  interesting  anni- 
versary, than  the  patriotic  wish  expressed  by  the 
psalmist  in 

Psalm  Ixxxv.  9. 
THAT   GLORY  MAY  DWELL   IN   OUR   LAND. 

It  is  sometimes  objected  to  the  holy  scriptures, 
that  they  are  deficient  in  recommendation  of  patriot- 
ism. 

But  the  passage  now  read  is  one  among  the  many 
examples,  which  may  be  quoted  from  the  sacred 
records,  to  refute  the  calumny.  It  expresses  the 
earnest  desire  of  the  writer  for  the  glory  of  his  land. 

To  the  same  purpose  how  striking  the  following 
exclamation!  "If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let 


my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning.  If  I  do  not 
remember  thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of 
my  mouth;  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my 
chief  joy." 

How  inexpressibly  tender  the  language  of  Jesus, 
while  contemplating  the  evils,  which  impended  over 
the  Capital  of  his  beloved  country !  "  When  he 
was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over 
it,  saying,  if  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least, 
in  this  thy  day,  the  things,  which  belong  unto  thy 
peace !  But  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  O 
Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou,  that  killest  the  prophets, 
and  stonest  them,  that  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  as  a 
hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and 
ye  would  not !" 

Not  only  is  there  such  incontestable  evidence  of 
patriotism,  inspired  by  our  holy  religion,  and  exem- 
plified by  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith; 
we  are  also  plainly  instructed,  by  what  means  the 
glory  of  a  people  may  be  essentially  advanced.  The 
sum  of  them  may  be  comprehended  in  these  ex- 
pressive terms.  "  Righteousness  exalteth  a  nation ; 
but  sin  is  a  reproach  to  any  people.  Render  unto 
Caesar  the  things,  that  are  Caesar's ;  and  to  God  the 
things,  that  are  God's.  Render  unto  all  their  dues  ; 
tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due ;  custom  to  whom 
custom ;  fear  to  whom  fear ;  honor  to  whom  honor." 


But  why  select  these  public  acts,  as  illustrative  of 
patriotism  1  Its  only  sure  foundation  is  laid  in  pri- 
vate life,  in  the  individual  character,  in  the  family 
circle,  in  the  manners,  customs,  and  habits  of  the 
municipalities,  of  which  the  community  is  com- 
posed. 

Great  misunderstanding  has  prevailed,  and  much 
mischief  has  been  occasioned  by  erroneous  notions 
of  patriotism.  Thus  how  often  do  selfish,  artful, 
and  unprincipled  men  "pretend  the  public  good, 
and  mean  their  own" !  To  effect  their  objects,  they 
but  too  successfully  address  the  passions.  By  such 
methods  they  gain  adherents,  who  appear  to  think, 
that  patriotism  consists  in  exclusive  pretensions  to 
it ;  in  noisy  declamation ;  in  uttering  all  manner  of 
evil  against  the  wise  and  the  good,  who  thwart  their 
views ;  and  in  elevating  to  undeserved  eminence 
those,  who  artfully  flatter  their  foibles  and  their 
vices,  though  with  the  most  selfish  designs.  To 
keep  alive  the  flame  thus  enkindled,  and  to  impart 
the  same  heat  to  others,  they  must  have  frequent 
social  meetings,  in  which  by  intemperate  drinking, 
by  excitement  of  each  other's  feelings,  they  lose 
their  temper,  neglect  their  families,  and  their  busi- 
ness, contract  habits  of  dissipation,  and  follow  ex- 
pensive and  ruinous  courses;  and,  in  this  way, 
forsooth,  claim  to  be  the  only  true  friends  of  their 
country ! 


8 

But  what  can  be  more  obvious,  than  that  he  only 
is  a  genuine  patriot,  who  is  virtuous,  whose  notions 
of  government  originate  in  the  government  of  him- 
self, in  the  proper  restraint  of  his  appetites  and 
passions,  in  faithful  attention  to  his  own  concerns, 
in  rightfully  fulfilling  his  family  duties,  in  fidelity 
to  his  engagements,  in  being  a  good  member  of  the 
society,  in  which  he  lives,  as  well  as  in  discharging 
the  obligations,  which  more  immediately  relate  to 
his  God  and  Savior  ? 

Does  any  one,  with  real  or  affected  modesty,  in- 
quire, how  can  I,  a  humble,  perhaps  an  insulated 
individual,  do  any  thing,  which  may  sensibly  affect 
the  public?  How  can  my  deportment,  whether 
good  or  bad,  have  even  a  remote  bearing  upon  the 
community,  of  which  I  am  an  inconsiderable  mem- 
ber 1  To  such  a  one  I  would  reply,  my  friend,  the 
ocean  is  composed  of  individual  drops ;  the  sea- 
shore may  be  reduced  to  single  grains  of  sand.  You 
are  not  so  solitary,  but  you  have  associates,  who  are 
essentially  influenced  by  your  good  or  evil  conduct. 
You  are  a  part  of  a  family,  whose  members  are  bet- 
ter or  worse,  happier  or  more  wretched  by  your 
example  and  influence.  And  certainly  you  are 
either  a  help  or  a  nuisance  to  the  town,  in  which 
you  reside.  You  may  then  be  useful  to  all  around 
you,  according  to  the  degree  of  your  good  influence. 
Or  one,  who  stands  the  lowest  in  the  scale  of  ration- 


al  beings,  may  prove  a  very  troublesome  pest  to 
society.  For  it  is  a  truth  established  as  well  by 
daily  experience,  as  by  scripture,  that  "  one  sinner 
destroyeth  much  good."  The  sentiment,  that  the 
individuals  of  a  community  thus  operate  from  parts 
to  the  whole  is  strikingly  illustrated  by  a  well 
known  passage  in  Pope's  Essay  on  Man. 

"  God  loves  from  whole  to  parts ;  but  human  soul 

"  Must  rise  from  individuals  to  the  whole. 

"  Self-love  but  serves  the  virtuous  mind  to  wake, 

"  As  the  small  pebble  stirs  the  peaceful  lake. 

"  The  centre  moved,  a  circle  strait  succeeds ; 

"  Another  still,  and  still  another  spreads. 

"  Friend,  parent,  neighbor,  first  it  will  embrace  ; 

"  The  country  next ;  and  next  all  human  race." 

Such  being  the  influence  of  individuals  upon  the 
community,  such  the  relation  of  parts  to  the  whole, 
it  becomes  an  interesting  inquiry  to  every  human 
being,  whether  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  bond  or 
free,  enlightened  or  ignorant,  what  course  he  is 
bound  to  pursue,  so  that  "  glory  may  dwell  in  our 
land"  \  The  correct  answer  doubtless  is,  that  every 
one  should  so  demean  himself,  that  were  all  equally 
scrupulous  and  faithful,  the  most  important  national 
objects  would  be  harmoniously  promoted. 

But  in  order  to  determine  how  "  glory  may"  most 
effectually  "  dwell  in  our  land,"  it  is  important  to 
decide,  in  what  the  glory  of  a  land  consists. 

Now  it  is  manifest,  that  the  decision  of  this  ques- 
2 


tion  will  depend  on  the  characters  and  notions  of 
those,  to  whom  it  is  referred. 

They,  whose  views  terminate  in  the  present  tran- 
sitory scene,  who  acknowledge  no  connection  be- 
tween the  present  and  the  future  state  of  being, 
win  place  the  glory  of  a  land  in  some  of  its  worldly 
distinctions.  They  will  be  likely  to  consider  that 
,-the  most  glorious  state  of  a  country,  where  there  is 
most  power,  whose  fleets  and  armies  are  in  the  best 
condition  not  only  to  resist  aggression ;  but  also  to 
subjugate  all,  who  will  not  yield  to  their  imperious 
sway.  In  their  estimation,  that  country  has  arrived 
at  the  highest  pinnacle  of  earthly  glory,  which  is 
under  the  dominion  of  a  warrior,  who  has  attained 
to  supreme  power  by  the  force  of  his  aspiring  mind, 
aided  by  favorable  circumstances;  whose  very  name 
strikes  terror  into  surrounding  nations;  who  fast 
rises  to  universal  dominion  by  subjugating,  in  quick 
succession,  one  opponent  after  another;  who  thus 
affords  opportunity  to  his  ambitious  subjects  to  in- 
crease their  power  and  consequence,  and  to  enrich 
themselves  on  the  spoils  of  the  conquered;  and 
whose  capital  is  adorned  by  the  most  splendid 
trophies  taken  from  the  people,  whom  he  has  sub- 
dued. 

In  the  history  of  our  race,  we  behold  a  few  in- 
stances of  those,  who  have  attained  to  this  bad  emi- 
nence for  themselves  and  their  country  by  such 


11 

usurpations.  For  a  while,  they  were  the  boast  of 
their  inconsiderate  subjects,  in  proportion  as  they 
were  the  terror  of  all  under  their  dominion,  or  who 
were  in  imminent  danger  from  their  power. 

But  it  seems  to  be  the  course  of  providence,  after 
giving  temporary  success  to  the  most  unprincipled 
of  mankind,  to  pour  contempt  on  human  greatness 
by  subjecting  it  to  strange  reverses,  "  to  the  intent, 
that  the  living  may  know,  that  the  Most  High 
ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to 
whomsoever  he  will;  and  setteth  up  over  it  the 
basest  of  men." 

What  a  wonderful  confirmation  of  this  scriptural 
truth  has  occurred,  both  in  ancient  and  modern 
times  1 

But  by  the  sacred  scriptures,  and  in  the  light  of 
eternity,  we  are  led  to  very  different  conclusions,  in 
respect  to  the  real  glory  of  a  land.  As  Christians, 
we  shall  place  it  in  the  general  prevalence  of  that 
religion,  which  exerts  the  best  practical  influence 
on  the  hearts  and  lives  of  its  professors;  in  the 
wisest  provision  for  instructing  the  rising  genera- 
tion, and  for  enlightening  the  public  mind ;  in  the 
elevation  of  the  best  men  to  stations  of  power  and 
influence ;  in  a  sufficiency  of  good  laws  faithfully 
executed ;  in  the  general  soundness  of  public  mor- 
als ;  in  the  industry,  frugality,  justice,  temperance, 
and  munificence  of  the  great  body  of  the  people ; 


12 

and  in  a  careful  attention  to  domestic  order,  instruc- 
tion, and  discipline. 

"  Happy  is  the  people,  that  is  in  such   a   case ; 
yea,  happy  is  that  people,  whose  God  is  the  Lord." 

It  must  with  pain  be  confessed,  that  we  can  pre- 
sent no  example  of  a  community,  which  is  uniformly 
under  the  influence  of  such  principles.  We  can 
indeed  point  to  individuals,  whose  lives  are  a  faith- 
ful comment  on  the  religion  they  profess ;  and  who 
are  a  rich,  public  blessing  to  the  societies,  in  which 
they  live.  But  such  is  the  prevalence  of  contrary 
principles  and  habits,  as  greatly  to  limit  their  salu- 
tary influence.  We  read  indeed  of  the  early  chris- 
tians,  who  were  "  of  one  heart,  and  of  one  soul;"  of 
those,  whose  exemplary  deportment  was  so  observa- 
ble, as  to  extort  even  from  opponents  the  testimony, 
"  Behold,  how  these  Christians  love  one  another" ! 
But  such  is  the  too  common  temper  even  of  pro- 
fessing Christians,  at  the  present  day,  that  many 
seem  more  intent  on  denying  each  other  the  Chris- 
tian name,  and  on  magnifying  points  of  difference, 
than  in  walking  together,  and  in  uniting  their  influ- 
ence, where  they  agree.  Till  a  different  spirit  be- 
comes more  prevalent,  we  cannot  expect  any  nation 
to  attain  to  its  highest  glory ;  neither  can  we  look 
for  the  fulfilment  of  those  glowing  prophetical  pre- 
dictions, which  point  to  a  period,  when  "  the  wolf 
shall  dwell  with  the  lamb ;  and  the  leopard  shall  lie 


13 

down  with  the  kid;  and  the  calf  and  young  lion, 
and  iktling  together ;  and  a  little  child  shall  lead 
them."  We  can  see,  if  not  wilfully  blind,  that  the 
Christian  religion,  if  faithfully  believed  and  prac- 
tised, is  adapted  to  realize  this  happy  state  of  things  ; 
and,  of  course,  that  the  more  true  we  are  to  its  prin- 
ciples, the  more  shall  we  promote  our  own  best 
good,  and  advance  our  country's  glory. 

Let  us  then  be  more  particular  in  our  inquiries, 
what  is  incumbent  on  us,  my  hearers,  "  that  glory 
may  dwell  in  our  land  V 

To  promote,  as  far  as  in  our  power,  and  every 
one  may  contribute  his  portion  toward  this  desira- 
ble object,  we  must  lay  the  foundation  in  personal 
religion.  This  is  evidently  our  first,  our  great  con- 
cern. It  is  as  important  in  order  to  render  us  the 
most  useful  to  others,  as  it  is  in  advancing  our  own 
best  good.  Our  blessed  Lord,  who  was  incapable 
of  a  wrong  estimate  of  duties,  directs  us  to  "  seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness" ; 
to  obey  "  the  first  and  great  command  to  love  the 
Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart ;  and  the  second, 
which  is  like  unto  it,  to  love  our  neighbor,  as  our- 
selves." He  shows  us,  that  one  of  the  first  expres- 
sions of  this  love  is  to  love,  believe,  and  obey  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thus  "  honor  the  Son,  even 
as  we  honor  the  Father."  He  plainly  assures  us, 
that  "  no  man  can  serve  two  masters" :  and  that  our 


14 

hearts  must  be  changed  from  a  prevalent  love  of  sin 
to  the  prevalent  love  of  holiness. 

If  the  subjects  of  this  transformation,  we  shall 
"  glorify  God  with  our  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are 
his ;  whatsoever  we  do,  we  shall  do  it  heartily,  as 
unto  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men ;  whether  we  eat, 
or  drink,  or  whatever  we  do,  we  shall  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God." 

With  this  real  devotedness  to  our  God  and  Savior, 
we  shall  assuredly  contribute  all  in  our  power, "  that 
glory  may  dwell  in  our  land." 

The  next  step  in  the  promotion  of  this  great  ob- 
ject is  the  proper  management  of  our  families. 
These  are  little  nurseries,  in  which  are  reared 
"  plants  of  renown" ;  or  else  "briers  and  thorns,  which 
are  nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned." 
It  is  difficult  sufficiently  to  estimate  the  important 
station  of  parents  and  heads  of  families.  To  their 
keeping  is  committed  the  destiny  of  immortal  souls. 
Alas !  how  essentially  may  their  character  and  con- 
dition, for  time  and  eternity,  be  affected  by  their  in- 
struction and  discipline,  in  the  morning  of  life! 
From  the  days  of  Eli,  whose  "  sons  made  themselves 
vile,  and  he  restrained  them  not,"  to  the  dismal 
scenes  of  juvenile  depravity,  so  often  brought  to 
light  in  our  principal  cities,  we  perceive  the  direful 
effects  of  parental  unfaithfulness,  the  frightful  con- 
sequences of  "  sons  left  to  themselves."  In  proper- 


15 

tion  to  the  evils  resulting  from  such,  defects  in  heads 
of  families  are  the  evident  benefits  to  a  community 
of  well  conducted  domestic  instruction  and  disci- 
pline. 

It  is  gratifying  to  mention,  in  this  connection,  the 
State  Reform  School  lately  organized,  in  Westbor- 
ough  ;*  the  first  of  the  kind,  it  is  confidently  as- 
serted, on  the  globe.  It  owes  its  origin  to  the 
generosity  of  an  individual,  who  chooses  not  to  have 
his  name  at  present  divulged.  The  Legislature  of 
this  Commonwealth  has  seen  fit  to  second  this  be- 
nevolent design  by  ample  appropriations.  It  was 
dedicated  to  its  intended  use,  by  appropriate  solem- 
nities, on  Thursday,  7  December  last.  Long  may  it 
continue  to  answer  the  munificent  purposes  of  its 
original  projector.  Long  may  it  be  instrumental  in 
rescuing  from  folly  and  sin  a  good  proportion  of 
those,  who  shall  be  sent  there  for  discipline  and 
reformation. 

Among  the  deeds  of  benevolence  and  mercy,  un- 
dertaken by  individuals  for  the  public  good,  I  feel 
constrained  to  mention  the  highly  meritorious  and 
self-denying  services  of  Miss  D.  L.  Dix,  a  native  of 

*  See  Proclamation  of  Governor  Briggs,  under  date  of  13  October 
last,  giving  notice,  that  "  the  buildings  will  be  prepared  for  occupancy, 
on  November,  1848." 

See  also  a  brief  sketch  of  this  Institution,  its  origin,  objects,  its  lands, 
its  buildings,  its  situation,  its  cost,  &c.  in  Vol.  X.  of  the  Common 
School  Journal,  p.  253. 


16 

Boston,  who  unsolicited,  with  infirm  health,  spends 
her  whole  time  and  income  in  visiting  gaols,  peni- 
tentiaries, houses  of  correction,  retreats  for  the  in- 
sane, and  kindred  institutions,  in  our  own  and  other 
States,  that  she  may  ascertain  what  may  conduce  to 
their  improvement,  and  specify  to  the  parties  con- 
cerned appropriate  remedies  for  their  defects.  Her 
faithful  reports  have  been  mentioned,  with  high  dis- 
tinction in  many  parts  of  our  land.  By  the  last 
accounts,  she  was  in  North  Carolina,  whose  provi- 
sions for  the  insane  she  has  thoroughly  investigated, 
and,  in  November  last,  addressed  to  their  Legisla- 
ture a  Memorial,  soliciting  a  State  Hospital  for  the 
protection  and  cure  of  the  insane,  informing  them, 
that  their  State  and  Delaware  are  the  only  States  of 
the  original  thirteen  without  public  provision  for 
such  subjects.  In  consequence  of  her  application, 
she  has  been  encouraged  to  draft  a  bill  for  such  an 
Institution  with  prospects  of  success.  By  her  un- 
wearied efforts,  in  behalf  of  the  most  miserable  of 
our  race,  she  well  deserves  to  be  mentioned  with 
honor,  by  the  side  of  Mrs.  Fry  of  our  mother 
country.* 

*  Among  her  numerous  publications  on  the  subject,  the  following  may 
be  mentioned,  as  indicative  of  her  untiring  efforts. 

I.  Memorial  to  the  Legislature  of  Mass Jan.  1843,  pp.  32 

II.  Memorial  to  the  Legislature  of  New  York,  12  Jan.  1844,  pp.  57 

III.  Remarks  on  prisons  and  prison  discipline,  in  U.  S. 

Phila.  1845,  pp.  108 


17 

"  That  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land,"  it  is  essen- 
tial to  provide,  in  the  best  possible  manner,  for  the 
instruction  of  the  rising  generation.  Of  this  truth 
the  inhabitants  of  New-England  seem  to  have  been 
aware,  from  their  earliest  settlement  in  this  land  to 
the  present  day. 

A  concern  for  the  education  of  their  youth  ex- 
posed to  peculiar  temptations  in  Holland,  whither 
our  pilgrim  fathers  first  fled  from  persecutions  in 
their  native  land,  was  among  their  leading  motives 
for  leaving  that  country,  and  seeking  an  asylum  in 
this  western  world. 

According  to  Morton,  in  his  New  England  Me- 
morial,* "  that,  which  was  very  lamentable,  and  of 
all  sorrows  most  heavy  to  be  borne,  was,  that  many 
by  these  occasions,"  namely,  the  hardships,  to  Avhich 
they  were  exposed,  "  and  the  great  licentiousness  in 
that  country,  and  the  many  temptations  of  the  place, 
were  drawn  away  by  evil  examples  into  extravagant 

IV.  Memorial  to  Legislature  of  N.  J.  for  State  Hospital, 

23  Jan.  1845,  pp.  46 

V.  Review  of  condition  of  Peniten.  in  Kentucky,  Feb.  1846,  pp.  40 

VI.  Memorial  soliciting  State  Hospital,  Kentucky,  Feb.  1846,  pp.  16 
VH.   Memorial  in  behalf  of  the  Insane,  Tennessee,  Nov.  1847,  pp.  32 

VIH.  Memorial  to  the  Senate,  Illinois, 11  Jan.  1847,  pp.  12 

IX.  Memorial  in  relation  to  Penitentiary,  111 5  Feb.  1847.  pp.  16 

X.  Memorial  to  Leg.  N.  C.  soliciting  State  Hosp.  Nov.  1848,  pp.  48 
This  is  probably  but  an  imperfect  account  of  Miss  Dix's  incessant 

labors  in  behalf  of  the  insane. 
*  p.  19. 

3 


18 

and  daring  courses,  getting  the  reins,  and  departing 
from  their  parents,  so  that  they  could  not  educate 
them;  nor  could  they  give  them  due  correction 
without  reproof  or  reproach  from  their  neighbors." 

Their  first  care,  on  arriving  at  Plymouth,  even 
before  they  landed,  was  to  enter  "into  a  solemn 
combination,  as  a  body  politic,  to  submit  to  such 
government  and  governors,  as  should,  by  a  general 
consent,  from  tune  to  time,  be  made  choice  of,  and 
submitted  unto."*  The  elder  President  Adams  was 
in  the  habit  of  referring  to  this  compact,  as  the  germ 
of  our  republican  institutions. 

The  next  business  of  our  fathers  was  to  gather 
churches,  and  thus  provide  regularly  for  the  ordi- 
nances of  public  worship. 

They  then  manifested  a  most  earnest  concern  for 
the  education  of  their  rising  race,  not  merely  by 
common  schools,  but  by  making  provision  for  our 
neighboring  University,-)*  the  foundation  of  which 
was  projected  so  early,  as  8  September,  1636,  but 
six  years,  after  the  incorporation  of  Boston.  When 
we  consider  their  numbers,  their  poverty,  the  hard- 
ships, which  they  were  obliged  to  endure,  in  pro- 
viding for  their  subsistence,  and  the  numberless  acts 

.  *  Morton's  Memorial,  p.  37. 

f  For  every  information  most  desirable  in  relation  to  this  University, 
reference  may  be  had  to  an  elaborate  History  of  Harvard  University,  in 
two  volumes,  by  President  Josiah  Quincy. 


19 

of  self-denial,  to  which  they  cheerfully  submitted,  it 
may  be  justly  considered  the  wonder  of  the  age. 

Public  schools  were  first  instituted,  in  Plymouth, 
in  1663.* 

Before  this,  in  1642,  they  were  established,  in 
Massachusetts,  and  more  fully,  by  Statute,  in  1647. 

In  this  year,  a  colonial  Statute  was  passed,  re- 
lating to  education,  which  not  only  shows  the  spirit 
of  the  times ;  but  also  the  zeal  of  our  forefathers,  in 
the  cause  of  education. 

"  It  being  one  chief  property  of  Satan,"  says  their 
act,  "  to  keep  men  from  the  knowledge  of  the  scrip- 
tures, as,  in  former  times,  keeping  them  in  unknown 
tongues,  so  in  these  latter  times  by  persuading  from 
the  use  of  tongues,  that  so  at  least  the  true  sense 
and  meaning  of  the  original  might  be  corrupted  and 
clouded  with  false  glosses  of  deceivers ;  to  the  end, 
that  learning  may  not  be  buried  in  the  graves  of  our 
forefathers,  in  Church  and  Commonwealth,  the  Lord 
assisting  our  endeavors, 

"  It  is  therefore  ordered  by  this  Court,  that  every 
township,  within  this  jurisdiction,  after  the  Lord 
hath  increased  them  to  the  number  of  fifty  house- 
holders, shall  then  forthwith  appoint  one  within  their 
towns  to  teach  all  such  children,  as  shall  resort  to 
him  to  read  and  to  write." 

*  See  Mass.  Historical  Collections,  Vol.  IV.  3d  Series,  p.  79. 


20 

In  the  same  statute  "  towns  having  one  hundred 
families  are  required  to  set  up  a  grammar  school." 

Our  fathers  rightly  judged,  that,  would  they  duly 
estimate  and  secure  their  invaluable  civil  privileges, 
and  transmit  them  unimpaired  to  posterity,  they 
must  enlighten  the  public  mind  to  render  it  capable 
of  electing  wise  and  judicious  rulers,  and  of  enact- 
ing and  enforcing  wholesome  laws. 

But  then  it  should  be  considered,  that  education, 
without  the  principles  and  restraints  of  piety,  con- 
tributes only  to  render  youth  more  expert  in  projects 
of  iniquity.  Be  it  then  our  care,  that  all  the  attain- 
ments of  the  rising  generation  be  sanctified  by 
religion. 

They,  who,  with  the  preacher,  can  remember 
something  of  the  common  schools,  in  this  vicinity, 
from  the  peace  with  our  mother  country,  in  1783, 
can  testify  to  their  rapid  and  surprising  improve- 
ments. 

In  the  former  part  of  the  time  specified,  though 
schools  of  some  sort  were  common  in  this  neighbor- 
hood ;  yet,  with  few  exceptions,  they  were  indiffer- 
ently kept ;  the  primary  schools  often  by  illiterate 
and  superannuated  women;  the  male  schools  by 
graduates  of  our  University,  not  meeting  with  suc- 
cess in  either  of  the  learned  professions;  while 
female  education  was  almost  wholly  neglected. 

Of  late  years  their  progress  has  been  steadily  on- 


21 

ward.  Nothing,  it  is  confidently  believed,  has  con- 
tributed more  toward  this  desirable  effect,  than  the 
Board  of  Education  established  by  our  Legislature, 
in  April,  1837,  whose  indefatigable  Secretary  has 
just  concluded  ten  volumes  on  common  school  edu- 
cation, which,  with  the  reports  incorporated  into  the 
work,  do  equal  honor  to  his  industry,  fidelity,  far 
reaching  views,  and  wise  suggestions  as  to  the  best 
modes  of  training  the  youthful  mind. 

May  a  double  portion  of  his  spirit  rest  on  his  suc- 
cessor, whose  recent  appointment  appears  to  give 
such  general  satisfaction. 

What  friend  to  his  kind,  and  to  the  highest  in- 
terests of  his  country,  but  must  rejoice  at  the 
acknowledged  great  improvements  of  the  present 
age,  not  only  in  education  in  general,  but  especially 
in  the  culture  of  the  female  mind  1  The  more  the 
subject  is  agitated,  the  more  certain  is  the  convic- 
tion, that  the  foundation  of  every  thing  great  or 
good  is  laid  by  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  on 
maternal  instruction  and  influence.  It  is  the  ap- 
propriate sphere  of  women  to  instruct,  to  guide, 
and,  we  may  almost  say,  to  mould  the  minds  of  our 
youth,  at  the  most  critical  period  of  life.  So  that 
let  fathers  be  ever  so  anxious  about  their  offspring, 
and  let  them  be  ever  so  well  qualified  to  teach  them, 
in  their  subsequent  life,  their  mothers  must  neces- 
sarily be  most  conversant  with  them,  when  perhaps 


a  cast  is  most  effectually  given  to  their  characters 
for  time,  and  for  eternity. 

On  a  \isit  to  the  elder  John  Adams,  at  the  latter 
period  of  his  life,  inquiries  were  proposed  respecting 
the  education  of  his  son,  John  Quincy  Adams.  On 
this  subject  he  was  pleased  amply  to  gratify  the 
curiosity  of  his  guests.  He  descended  into  par- 
ticulars, and  gave  a  minute  account  of  the  various 
literary  institutions,  in  which  he  had  placed  him,  in 
Europe  and  America,  from  early  youth  to  his  ad- 
mission into  Harvard  University.  Never  can  those 
present  forget  the  emphasis,  with  which  he  closed 
this  account.  "  But  after  all,"  added  he,  "  my  son 
had  a  mother."  Who,  that  has  been  acquainted 
with  this  gifted  woman,  or  read  the  productions  of 
her  cultivated  intellect,  but  must  be  struck  with  the 
propriety  of  this  tribute  to  her  memory  ? 

In  former  times,  even  in  our  highly  favored  New 
England,  it  will  not  be  denied,  that  female  educa- 
tion was  grievously  neglected.  This  remark  cannot 
be  justly  applied  to  modern  times.  In  many  places 
our  young  women  are  better  educated,  than  the 
other  sex. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  practice  is  becoming 
more  and  more  prevalent,  as  the  Secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Education  has  made  abundantly  evident, 
of  employing  female  teachers  in  our  schools  and 
academies,  foreboding  the  almost  total  exclusion  of 


23 

the  other  sex  from  a  sphere,  which,  in  former  times, 
they  almost  solely  occupied.* 

In  the  city  of  Salem,  justly  celebrated  for  its 
means  of  education,  the  higher  branches  of  mathe- 
matics were  recently  taught,  in  its  High  School,  by 
a  Preceptress. 

It  may  serve  to  give  some  information  of  the  im- 
provements taking  place  in  our  schools,  especially 
with  regard  to  female  education,  if  I  state  a  simple 
fact.  When  I  entered  Harvard  University,  in  July, 
1789,  sixty  years  ago,  next  July,  boys  only  were 
taught  in  the  public  schools,  in  Boston ;  no  knowl- 
edge even  of  common  arithmetic  was  a  pre-requisite 
to  entering  College ;  nor  were  we  required  to  know 
any  thing  of  geography,  but  merely  the  place  of  our 
nativity.  On  inquiry,  it  will  now  unquestionably 
be  found,  that  many  young  ladies,  in  some  of  our 
High  Schools  and  Academies,  acquire  more  knowl- 

*  Year.     No.  of  male  teachers.     No.  of  female  teachers. 

1837                         2370  3591 

1838-9                     2411      •  3825 

1839-40                   2378f  3928f 

1840-1                     2491  4111 

1841-9                     2500  4282 

1842-3                     2414f  4301f 

1843-4                     2529  4581 

1844-5                     2595  4700 

1845-6                     2585  4997 
See  Common  School  Journal,  Vol.  IX.  p.  96. 
t  Incomplete  returns. 


24 

edge  of  the  mathematical  and  kindred  sciences,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  belles-lettres,  than  was  then  at- 
tained, take  them,  as  they  rise,  by  the  graduates  of 
our  first  universities. 

In  proof  of  what  we  owe  to  female  science,  in  ad- 
dition to  abundant  other  testimonies,  which  might 
be  adduced,  the  papers  lately  announce,  that  the 
king  of  Denmark  has  directed  the  comet-medal, 
founded  by  one  of  his  predecessors,  to  be  awarded 
to  Maria  Mitchell,  of  Nantucket,  for  her  discovery 
of  the  telescopic  comet,  of  1  October,  1847.* 

"  That  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land,"  industry  is 
an  indispensable  requisite.  It  is  as  necessary  to 
health,  usefulness,  and  happiness,  as  it  is  a  dictate 
of  duty.  Whatever  be  our  condition  in  life,  we 
have  all  our  appropriate  business ;  and  it  is  required 
by  the  Author  of  our  frame,  that  we  "  work  the 
work  of  him,  who  sent  us,  while  it  is  day."  The 
poor  are  often  tempted  to  complain  of  their  priva- 
tions, and  to  envy  the  condition  of  their  richer  neigh- 
bors. But  such  reasonings  and  murmurs  imply  par- 
tial and  erroneous  views.  For,  in  the  first  place, 
they  consider  not,  how  few  are  their  real  wants,  and 
how  easily  supplied.  In  the  next  place,  they  look 
not  on  the  side  of  the  trials  and  temptations,  which 

*  It  is  ascertained,  that  she  was  the  first  discoverer.  Not  only  so, 
but  by  a  mathematical  process,  she  has  calculated  its  path,  distance,  rate 
of  motion,  and  time  of  return. 


25 

surround  a  state  of  affluence.  Let  them  contem- 
plate the  instances,  in  which  "  the  abundance  of  the 
rich  will  not  suffer  them  to  sleep" ;  and  in  which 
their  riches  indispose  and  disqualify,  sometimes 
themselves,  but  oftener  still  their  children,  for  use- 
ful employment,  and  precipitate  them  into  danger- 
ous and  hurtful  excesses.  Nothing  can  be  better 
adapted,  than  such  reflections  rightly  improved,  to 
inspire  contentment  with  their  lot. 

Frugality  is  as  indispensable,  as  industry  to  both 
individual  and  national  prosperity.  By  it  all  may 
ordinarily  make  provision  for  the  payment  of  debts, 
lay  up  something  in  store  for  the  casualties  of  life, 
and  the  infirmities  of  age,  as  well  as  have  something 
to  "  give  to  him,  that  needeth."  But  should  provi- 
dence frown  upon  the  best  concerted  schemes  for  an 
independent  livelihood,  the  virtuous  in  misfortune 
may  always  be  sure  of  needed  aid.  Most  people 
feel  a  peculiar  gratification  in  helping  those,  who 
do  every  thing  in  their  power  to  help  themselves. 

On  the  other  hand,  by  neglect  of  frugality  persons 
even  of  ample  means  are  prone  to  involve  themselves 
in  expenses  beyond  their  income,  and  thus  injure 
others,  as  well  as  subject  themselves  to  needless  per- 
plexities. How  great  the  danger,  when,  by  defi- 
ciency in  this  virtue,  they  become  needlessly  embar- 
rassed ;  that  they  will  not  only  relax  their  industry, 
4 


26 

but  surrender  themselves  willing  victims  to  licen- 
tiousness ! 

Justice  is  also  an  essential  attribute  of  a  nation's 
prosperity.  Not  only  should  the  laws  enforce  it  in 
all  transactions  between  man  and  man ;  but  no  na- 
tion can  expect  to  prosper,  which  is  not  as  careful 
to  respect  the  rights  of  others,  as  to  vindicate 
their  own.  The  practice  then  of  some  states,  in 
our  union,  of  repudiating  their  honest  debts,  em- 
ploying a  word  in  a  new  sense  to  designate  a  new 
usage,  cannot  but  be  reprobated  by  every  honest 
mind. 

Munificence  is  an  important  aid  in  advancing  a 
nation's  glory.  It  not  only  relieves  individual  dis- 
tress, and  promotes  the  comfort  of  those  around  us ; 
but,  practised  on  a  large  scale,  it  lays  the  founda- 
tion of  the  greatest  blessings  to  society.  It  founds 
Hospitals  for  the  relief  of  every  kind  of  distress ; 
erects  Universities  and  inferior  Seminaries  for  dif- 
fusing throughout  the  community  useful  knowledge. 
It  sends  the  Bible  and  other  means  of  instruction  to 
the  meanest  hovels  in  Christian  and  heathen  lands. 
It  provides  funds,  raises  up  and  qualifies  missiona- 
ries to  send  the  gospel  and  all  the  countless  bless- 
ings in  its  train,  to  the  most  distant  and  unenlight- 
ened portions  of  the  globe.  These  preeminent 
blessings,  wholly  unknown  in  the  most  refined  pagan 
nations  of  ancient  or  modern  times,  owe  their  origin, 


27 

their   continuance,   their   success,    under   God,    to 
Christianity  alone. 

"  That  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land,"  who  does 
not  perceive  the  absolute  necessity  of  temperance  ? 
It  is  not  only  indissolubly  connected  with  the  other 
virtues  of  the  social  state ;  but  its  violation  either 
occasions  or  accompanies  every  vice,  which  can  be 
named.  It  may  be  said,  without  exaggeration,  that 
intemperance  is  the  prolific  parent  of  greater  sin 
and  misery,  than  all  other  vices  united.  To  estab- 
lish this  position  it  is  necessary  only  to  trace  the 
history  of  every  vagabond,  who  walks  the  streets, 
and  disturbs  the  order  of  our  families  by  clamorous 
and  lying  appeals  to  our  charity;  to  examine  the 
annals  of  our  gaols,  penitentiaries,  almshouses,  hos- 
pitals, theatres,  houses  of  ill  fame,  and  establish- 
ments for  juvenile  delinquency ;  and  you  will  find 
the  triumphs  of  the  monster  in  almost  every  form  of 
wretchedness  and  guilt.  As  you  travel  through  the 
country,  inquire,  what  fills  places  of  public  resort 
with  idlers ;  what  involves  families  in  poverty  and 
misery ;  what  occasions  debts  beyond  the  ability  or 
disposition  to  discharge  them ;  what  is  the  fruitful 
source  of  domestic  unhappiness,  of  quarrels  among 
neighbors,  of  irreligion  under  all  its  forms,  of  end- 
less and  vexatious  lawsuits,  of  neglect  of  business 
and  its  invariable  consequences ;  and  you  will  find, 
it  may  be  safely  asserted,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of 


28 

a  hundred,  that  intemperance  is  nearly  or  more  re- 
motely connected  with  these  accumulated  evils. 

And  yet  f9r  a  long  period,  in  our  national  history, 
and  indeed  till  within  a  very  few  years  past,  tempta- 
tions to  this  indulgence  were  almost  universal. 
Though  Alcohol  was  the  invention  of  a  barbarous 
people,  in  a  barbarous  age ;  yet  its  free  use,  or,  I 
might  rather  say,  its  ignoble  and  degrading  abuse 
had  been  practised  by  a  large  portion  of  all  classes 
in  society,  even  in  Christian  communities.  By  a 
strange  and  unaccountable  misapprehension  and 
perversion,  it  came  to  be  generally  employed,  as  a 
promoter  of  comfort,  relief  from  fatigue,  an  aid  to 
labor,  a  preventive  of  the  bad  effects  of  the  weather, 
so  that  its  use,  among  the  laboring  classes,  became 
as  constant  and  unintermitted,  aye,  in  many  cases, 
even  more  so,  than  necessary  food.  Even  they,  who 
would  scorn  the  imputation  of  intemperance,  thought 
it  both  harmless  and  useful  to  quaff  a  portion  of  it, 
at  least  twice  in  every  twenty-four  hours. 

At  length  it  became  manifest,  that  a  large  portion 
of  these  temperate  drinkers  grew  intemperate,  and 
involved  themselves  and  families  and  friends  in  all 
the  horrors  of  inordinate  excess.  Then  the  eyes  of 
the  more  considerate  were  opened  to  the  causes  of 
these  frightful  evils ;  and  led  to  the  discovery,  that 
they  resulted  from  grievously  erroneous  notions  of 
the  properties  of  alcohol.  At  length  it  was  ana- 


29 

lyzed  by  chemists,  and  pronounced,  with  remarkable 
unanimity,  an  insidious  poison,  to  be  taken  into  the 
human  system,  rarely,  in  any  case,  and,  when  so 
employed,  to  be  used,  as  other  poisons  are,  under 
the  direction  of  medical  skill. 

My  hearers,  ought  we  not  devoutly  to  bless  God, 
that  such  a  wonderful  improvement,  in  temperance,* 
prevails  in  so  large  a  portion  of  our  land,  especially 
in  our  country  towns  ?  God  grant,  that  it  may  con- 
tinue to  advance,  till  alcohol,  in  all  its  dangerous 
forms  and  combinations,  shall  be  restricted  to  the 
use  of  the  arts,  or  be  confined  to  the  phials  of 
the  apothecary  and  the  physician,  to  be  dealt  out 
only  by  medical  direction ;  to  be  examined,  like 
other  poisonous  substances,  by  the  curious ;  to  be 
contemplated  by  future  generations,  as  the  insidious 
elixir,  so  deleterious  to  the  human  constitution,  so 
grievously  perverted  by  their  fathers. 

By  such  a  reformation,  as  much  as  in  any  other 
conceivable  way,  may  "glory"  again  "dwell  in  our 
land." 

"  That  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land,"  in  its  full 

*  The  first  State  Society,  on  the  globe,  organized  to  counteract  the 
evils  of  intemperance,  was  formed,  in  Boston,  on  5  February,  1813. 
The  most,  which  it  first  attempted,  was  to  "  suppress  the  too  free  use  of 
ardent  spirits ;"  though  it  afterward  combined  with  the  American  Tem- 
perance Society,  formed,  13  February,  1826,  in  recommending  its  total 
disuse. 


30 

effulgence,  I  am  as  fully  persuaded,  as  of  any  Chris- 
tian verity,  that  we  have  no  right  to  hope,  till  slave- 
ry, by  some  dispensation  of  providence,  which  I  feel 
wholly  incompetent  to  predict,  shall  be  extirpated, 
root  and  branch,  from  our  soil.  Its  prolonged  ex- 
istence in  so  many  States  renders  the  very  first  arti- 
cle in  our  Declaration  of  Independence  no  better, 
than  a  solemn  farce,  which  proclaims,  "  We  hold 
these  truths  to  be  self-evident,  that  all  men  are 
created  equal ;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their  Crea- 
tor with  certain  unalienable  rights;  that  among 
these  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 
How  this  reformation  is  to  be  accomplished,  how  it 
is  to  be  hastened,  I  hazard  no  conjecture.  Our  re- 
ligion requires  us  "to  do  nothing  rashly."  On 
this  vexed  subject,  may  we  not  safely  join  in  the 
apprehension  of  the  third  President  of  the  United 
States,  who  drafted  our  Declaration  of  Independence, 
and  say,  "  We  tremble,  when  we  reflect  that  God  is 
just." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Cooper,  pastor  of  Brattle 
square  Church,  in  this  city,  during  the  revolution- 
ary war,  was  a  preeminent  patriot  and  a  distin- 
guished divine.  But  for  nothing  was  he  more  dis- 
tinguished, than  for  the  pertinence,  sublimity,  and 
fluency  of  his  devotional  services.  On  a  special 
occasion,  during  the  gloomiest  season  of  the  war,  as 
he  was  leading  in  the  devotions  of  an  assembly,  he 


31 

came  suddenly  to  a  ftill  stop,  as  if  his  extemporary 
powers  had  entirely  failed  him.  The  eyes  of  the 
congregation  were  at  once  fixed  upon  him  with 
mingled  wonder  and  apprehension,  till  he  gave  ut- 
terance to  his  thoughts,  and  thus  relieved  the  anx- 
iety of  his  audience  by  this  solemn  appeal  to  the 
Eternal,  "  Teach  us  what  we  shall  say  unto  thee,  O 
God ;  for  we  cannot  order  our  speech  by  reason  of 
darkness."  It  is  believed,  that  great  numbers  in 
our  land,  who  are  so  loudly  reproached  by  more 
ardent  spirits  for  want  of  zeal  in  the  abolition  of 
slavery,  are  oppressed  with  difficulties  similar  to 
those,  which  embarrassed  this  man  of  God. 

On  this  perplexing  subject,  a  sentiment  of  father 
Moody,*  of  York,  Maine,  as  he  was  denominated  by 
those,  who  respected  his  wisdom  and  prudence,  at 
and  after  the  commencement  of  the  last  century,  oc- 
curs with  force  to  my  mind.  "  When  you  know  not 
what  to  do,  you  must  not  do  you  know  not  what." 
To  the  like  effect  is  a  maxim  of  an  eminent  civilian 
of  the  West,  "  When  you  are  in  the  dark,  and  know 
not,  which  way  to  move,  stand  still." 

"That  glory  may"  fully  "dwell  hi  our  land,"  it 
is  obvious,  that  radical  changes  must  take  place  in 
the  sentiments  and  practices  even  of  this  republican 
country  in  respect  of  war.  Some  zealous  friends  of 

*  He  preached  the  Election  Sermon,  in  1721. 


peace  have  proceeded  so  far,  as  even  to  question  the' 
glory  of  our  revolutionary  contest,  on  account  of  the 
evils,  which  it  brought  in  its  train,  the  sacrifices  of 
blood  and  treasure,  which  it  cost,  and  the  awfully 
demoralizing  effects,  which  accompanied  and  follow- 
ed its  most  renowned  victories.  But  without  ven- 
turing to  uphold  such  a  political  heresy,  we  may 
indeed  strenuously  maintain,  that  our  Republican 
country  cannot,  with  the  least  consistency,  wage 
wars  of  conquest.  Surely  the  only  wars,  which  we 
can  find  any  pretext  for  undertaking  or  justifying, 
must  be  those,  which  may  be  strictly,  and  not  called 
so  by  mere  pretext,  defensive. 

"Whatever  may  have  been  our  opinions  respecting 
the  war  with  a  sister  Republic,  just  terminated, 
which  was  prosecuted  by  our  troops  with  such  un- 
disputed bravery,  and  with  such  uninterrupted  suc- 
cess, there  can  be  little  doubt,  that  its  most  forward 
promoters,  and  its  warmest  apologists  rejoice  as 
heartily  at  its  termination,  as  those,  who  have  con- 
stantly proclaimed  it,  on  our  part,  to  be  unnecessa- 
ry, unauthorized,  vindictive,  and  a  war  of  conquest. 
Even  the  renowned  hero,  who  has  acquired  such 
military  glory  by  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  and  to 
which  may  be  more  or  less  owing  his  elevation  to 
the  chief  magistracy  in  our  land,  professes,  with 
every  mark  of  sincerity,  to  be  the  friend  of  peace. 
TTis  warmest  political  opponents  are  likely  soon  to 


33 

have  the  opportunity  to  test  his  sincerity  in  this,  as 
in  other  respects. 

"  That  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land,"  it  is  of  in- 
calculable importance  to  afford  encouragement  to 
religious  institutions. 

Did  time  permit,  it  might  be  interesting  to  trace 
the  changes,  which  have  taken  place,  in  our  Com- 
monwealth, in  respect  to  the  public  worship  of  the 
Most  High,  from  the  extreme  rigidity  of  our  fathers 
to  the  extreme  laxity  of  modern  times. 

Such  a  union  of  church  and  state  at  first  subsisted 
here,  that  none,  but  church  members  were  entitled 
to  vote,  even  in  civil  affairs. 

In  1657,  a  Council*  sat  in  Boston  to  consider  the 
subject  of  church  members  and  their  children. 

A  more  formal  Synod,^  assembled  in  the  same 
place,  in  1662,  by  appointment  of  the  General  Court, 
which  came  to  the  same  result  with  the  Council,  in 
1657,  which  was,  that  "  the  children  of  parents,  not 
scandalous  in  their  lives,  who  professed  their  faith 
in  the  gospel,  might  be  admitted  to  baptism,  though 
the  parents  came  not  to  the  ordinance  of  the  Sup- 
per." 

This  decision  excited  great  opposition  from  some 
leading  divines.  Among  the  greatest  of  the  Anti- 

*  Holmes's  American  Annals,  Vol.  I.  p.  370. 
t  Ibid.  Vol.  I.  p.  382. 

5 


34 

Synodists,  was  the  Rev.  John  Davenport,  of  New 
Haven. 

This  circumstance  decided  the  First  Church,  in 
Boston,  at  the  death  of  the  Rev.  John  Wilson,  their 
first  pastor,  to  extend  to  him  a  call  at  New  Haven, 
which  was  promptly  accepted.  This  was  the  second* 
instance,  in  our  vicinity  of  what  has  since  been  an 
every  day's  occurrence,  of  translating  a  pastor  from 
one  Church  to  another. 

The  first  pastors  of  our  Churches  were  necessarily 
of  this  description ;  for  this  obvious  reason,  that  no 
others  could  be  obtained. 

The  persecutions,  in  our  mother  country,  had  the 
effect,  which  similar  persecutions  always  have,  to 
drive  those,  whose  consciences  will  not  bend  to  the 
temper  of  the  times,  to  become  voluntary  exiles,  and 
to  seek  a  refuge  remote  from  their  persecutors.  Ac- 
cordingly the  same  treatment,  in  the  early  stages  of 
the  French  Revolution,  which  drove  to  our  shores 
Doctors  Matignon  and  Cheverus,  those  ripe  scholars 
and  afterwards  beloved  inhabitants  of  Boston,  ban- 
ished to  our  country,  at  its  early  settlement,  some  of 
England's  most  learned  and  pious  divines. 

My  remaining  observations  on  the  religious  insti- 
tutions of  the  State,  which  it  is  the  glory  of  our 

*  The  first  was  of  Rev.  John  Mayo,  of  Nauset,  now  Eastham,  trans- 
lated to  the  second  Church,  in  Boston,  where  he  was  settled,  9  Novem- 
ber, 1655. 


35 

civil  fathers  to  patronize,  I  shall  restrict  to  a  few 
historical  facts  relating  to  the  Church,  in  which  we 
are  assembled;  because  of  its  intimate  connection 
with  the  origin  and  progress  of  our  other  Churches ; 
because  it  has,  for  several  generations,  been  the 
place  of  convocation  for  these  annual  solemnities ; 
because  it  suggests  so  many  interesting  reminiscen- 
ces; and  because  its  concerns  are  so  intimately 
blended  with  the  past  and  present  history  of  our 
times. 

This  Church  was  called  the  South  Church,  till 
1716,  when  the  New  South  was  erected,  in  Summer 
street,  since  which  period,  it  has  been  called,  by  way 
of  distinction,  the  Old  South  Church. 

A  recent  pastor*  of  this  Church,  in  his  history  of 
it,  states,  "  The  Church  now  called  the  Old  South 
Church,  in  Boston,  was  the  third  Congregational 
Church  gathered  in  this  Town."  Like  too  many 
other  churches  of  Christ,  it  originated  in  bitter  con- 
tentions among  those,  who  are  bound  by  their  pro- 
fession, as  well  as  by  the  precept  of  heaven,  to  main- 
tain "  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 

It  was  gathered  by  those,  who  were  diaffected 
by  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Davenport  over  the  First 
Church,  who  accordingly  withdrew,  and  formed  this 

*  See  Wisner's  History  of  the  Old  South  Church,  p.  3. 
This  will  also  be  my  authority  for  most  of  the  other  statistical  facts 
relating  to  this  Church. 


36 

Church.  It  may  strike  some  of  the  audience  with 
surprise,  that  the  First  Church,  in  this  place,  took 
the  rigid,  and  the  Old  South,  the  liberal  side  of  the 
doctrines  proclaimed  by  the  Synod  of  1662;  re- 
sults, which  greatly  agitated  all  the  then  existing 
Churches. 

This  Church  was  gathered,  in  1669,  nearly  two 
centuries  ago ;  and  its  first  house  of  worship  was 
erected  on,  or  very  near  the  site  of  the  present,  on 
land  given  by  Mrs.  Norton,  widow  of  the  third  pastor 
of  the  First  Church.  It  has  been  favored  with  a 
succession  of  fourteen  pastors,  some  eminent  in  their 
day,  who  acted  a  highly  distinguished  part  in  the 
literary,  civil,  and  religious  interests  of  our  com- 
munity. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  to  be  my  design,  at  this 
late  hour,  to  present  a  general  statistical  account  of 
this  Church,  or  its  pastors,  however  distinguished ; 
but  to  state  a  few  facts  only,  which  have  a  bearing 
upon  my  subject,  and  which  may  help  to  vary  a  lit- 
tle the  routine  of  such  occasions. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  Church  was  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Thacher,  son  of  a  minister  of  Salisbury,  in 
England.  He  was  translated  to  Boston  from  Wey- 
mouth,  where  he  had  been  pastor,  20  years.  As 
most  of  the  pastors,  in  that  generation,  had  been 
previously  settled,  this  circumstance  produced  no 
such  excitement,  as  in  subsequent  years,  when  the 


37 

Rev.  Peter  Thacher*  left  Weymouth  for  the  new 
North,  in  Boston;  and  the  Rev.  Peter  Thacher f 
left  Maiden  for  the  Church  in  Brattle  square. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Thacher,  as  was  not  uncommon 
in  the  early  history  of  our  country,  was  a  practi- 
tioner in  medicine,  as  well  as  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel. It  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  that  he  was  author 
of  the  first  medical  tract  ever  published  in  Massa- 
chusetts.:}: 

The  second  pastor  of  this  Church  was  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Willard,  great  grandfather  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent Willard  of  Harvard  University.  He  was  driven 
from  his  first  parish,  in  Groton,  when  it  was  depop- 
ulated by  the  savages.  He  was  Vice-President  of 
Harvard  University,  for  a  series  of  years,  his  people 
here  not  being  willing  to  dispense  with  his  constant 
residence  among  them.  His  praise  was  in  all  the 
Churches.  He  is  said  to  have  published  more  ser- 
mons, than  any  cotemporary,  with  the  exception  of 
Dr.  Cotton  Mather.  He  was  author  of  a  body  of 
Divinity  much  celebrated  in  its  day,  the  first  folio 
volume  published  in  this  country. 

*  Rev.  Peter  Thacher,  on  leaving  Weymouth,  was  installed  over  the 
New  North  Church,  in  Boston,  27  January,  1720,  amid  the  most  violent 
opposition,  as  the  histories  of  the  time  abundantly  testify. 

•j-  Rev.  Peter  Thacher,  from  Maiden,  was  installed  over  the  Church, 
in  Brattle  square,  Boston,  12  January,  1785. 

J  Entitled  "  A  brief  guide  to  the  common  people  in  the  small  pox 
and  the  measles,"  published  in  1677. 


38 

But  his  chief  glory  consisted  in  setting  his  face 
like  a  flint  against  the  witchcraft  delusion,  though 
a  large  portion  of  his  cotemporaries,  clergymen,  as 
well  as  laymen,  were  carried  away  with  the  infatua- 
tion. This  is  the  more  to  the  credit  of  his  firmness, 
as  three  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  who  favored 
this  delusion,  wrere  members  of  his  Church,  namely, 
Chief  Justice  Stoughton  with  Judge  Sewall  and 
Judge  Winthrop,  associate  Justices. 

Judge  Sewall,  it  is  well  known,  afterward  saw 
and  lamented  his  delusion  in  this  affair,  and  could 
not  rest  satisfied  without  making  a  humble  confes- 
sion of  his  error  before  the  Church  and  his  pastor. 
The  other  Judges  were  not  so  yielding ;  for,  argued 
they,  as  in  that  unfortunate  affair,  we  acted  accord- 
ing to  the  light  we  had,  we  have  nothing  now  to 
confess.* 

*  The  following  account  of  his  confession  is  mentioned  by  Judge 
Sewall,  in  his  Journal. 

"  Copy  of  the  bill  I  put  up  on  the  Fast  day,"  [14  Jan.  1697]  "  giving 
it  to  Mr.  Willard,  as  he  passed  by,  and  standing  up  at  the  reading  of  it, 
and  bowing,  when  finished,  in  the  afternoon. 

"  Samuel  Sewall,  sensible  of  the  reiterated  strokes  of  God  upon  him- 
self and  family,  and  being  sensible,  that  as  to  the  guilt  contracted,  upon 
the  opening  of  the  late  commission  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  at  Salem,  (to 
which  the  order  of  this  day  relates)  he  is,  upon  many  accounts,  more 
concerned,  than  any,  that  he  knows  of,  desires  to  take  the  blame  and 
shame  of  it,  asking  pardon  of  men,  and  especially  desiring  prayers,  that 
God,  who  has  an  unlimited  authority,  would  pardon  that  sin,  and  all 
other  his  sins,  personal  and  relative  ;  and  according  to  his  infinite  benig- 


39 

In  the  year  before  his  death,  Mr.  Willard  baptized 
in  the  Church  standing  in  this  place  the  celebrated 
Benjamin  Franklin,  on  17  January,  1706,  the  very 
day  of  his  birth,  who  was  born  in  a  house  directly 
opposite  to  the  front  part  of  this  Church. 

The  third  pastor  of  this  Church,  the  colleague  and 
successor  of  Mr.  Willard,  was  the  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Pemberton,  the  best  biographer  of  his  eminent  as- 
sociate in  the  ministry.  He  was  a  burning  and 
shining  light  in  his  day ;  and,  at  death,  left  the  rep- 
utation of  the  best  writer,  whom  New  England  had 
produced  down  to  the  time  of  his  ministry.* 

The  fourth  and  fifth  pastors  of  this  Church,  Sewall 
and  Prince,  were  eminent  in  their  day,  who  left  an 
impress  on  the  public  mind  not  likely  to  be  soon 
obliterated ;  the  first  eminent  for  piety,  son  of  the 
conscientious  Judge  already  mentioned,  and  whose 
frequent  tears,  during  the  ministrations  of  the  Sanc- 
tuary, procured  for  him  the  denomination  of  the 
weeping  prophet ;  the  other,  eminent,  as  a  collector 
of  books,  pamphlets,  and  manuscripts,  designed  to 
illustrate  the  history  of  New  England,  kept  in  the 
tower  of  this  Church,  where  was  his  Study. 

nity  and  sovereignty,  not  visit  the  sin  of  him,  or  of  any  other,  upon  him- 
self, or  any  of  his,  nor  upon  the  land  ;  but  that  he  would  powerfully  de- 
fend him  against  all  temptations  to  sin  for  the  future,  and  vouchsafe  him 
the  efficacious  saving  conduct  of  his  word  and  spirit." 

*  See  Eliot's  and  Allen's  Biographical  Dictionary,  article  Pemberton. 


40 

They  cooperated,  as  colleagues,  during  the  unu- 
sual term  of  forty  years. 

During  their,  united  ministry,  the  house,  in  which 
we  are  assembled,  being  the  second  house  of  wor- 
ship erected  by  this  society,  was  dedicated,  on  7 
May,  1730. 

Many  and  interesting  are  the  associations  con- 
nected with  this  venerable  structure.  The  first 
building  to  the  North,  on  what  is  now  South  row, 
is  the  site  of  Governor  Winthrop's  house,  afterwards 
a  parsonage  of  the  Old  South  Church,  till,  during 
the  memorable  siege  of  Boston  by  the  troops  of  Great 
Britain,  it  was  demolished  with  the  Old  North 
Church,  and  other  buildings,  as  fuel  for  the  soldiery. 

This  was  a  favorite  resort  for  public  religious  and 
patriotic  meetings.  The  exercises  of  the  General 
Election  have  been  attended  in  this  house,  also  the 
orations,  on  5  March,  to  commemorate  the  Boston 
massacre ;  as  well  as,  on  4  July,  to  celebrate  Ameri- 
can Independence;  so  that  it  is  denominated  by 
Snow,  in  his  history  of  Boston,  the  Sanctuary  of 
freedom.*  Here  the  people  often  assembled  to  de- 
liberate upon  the  concerns  of  their  country;  and 
here  resolves  were  often  passed,  which  gradually  pre- 
pared the  way  for  American  Independence.  Here 
the  intrepid  Warren,  but  a  few  weeks  before  his 

*  Snow's  History  of  Boston,  p.  313. 


41 

lamented  fall,  delivered  his  second  oration,  com- 
memorative of  the  Boston  massacre,  though  his  life 
had  heen  threatened,  should  he  make  the  attempt ; 
though  British  officers  were  in  the  aisles,  and  even 
on  the  Pulpit  stairs,  during  the  delivery  of  the  ora- 
tion, who  had  previously  declared,  that  such  senti- 
ments should  not  be  uttered  without  opposition.  He 
nevertheless  proceeded  to  give  a  fearless  and  graphic 
description  of  the  horrors  of  the  fifth  of  March,  not 
only  without  apprehension,  but  with  impunity. 

But  the  most  memorable  circumstance  connected 
with  this  sacred  Temple  was  its  desecration,  during 
the  siege  of  Boston,  as  a  riding  school,  by  the  British 
cavalry.  To  prepare  it  for  this  unhallowed  purpose, 
the  pulpit,  pews,  and  Western  gallery  were  demol- 
ished. The  ground  floor  was  covered  with  dirt  and 
gravel.  A  bar  was  fixed,  West  of  the  front  door, 
for  the.  horses  to  leap  over.  The  Eastern  galleries 
were  suffered  to  remain  for  the  accommodation  of 
spectators,  and,  strange  to  relate,  spirituous  liquors 
were  there  provided  for  such,  as  resorted  here  to 
witness  feats  of  horsemanship. 

During  the  Winter  season,  a  stove  was  placed  in 
the  Church,  in  which  books  and  pamphlets  from 
Mr.  Prince's  Library,  which  was  kept  in  the  tower 
of  the  Church,  were  used  for  kindlings.  But  a  kind 
providence  preserved  from  this  dire  catastrophe  one 
manuscript,  in  the  opinion  of  antiquaries,  more  val- 
6 


42 

uablc,  than  all  the  rest ;  which  was  the  third  manu- 
script volume  of  Governor  Winthrop's  Journal,  that 
had  long  been  lost,  which  the  Kev.  Dr.  Holmes,  of 
Cambridge,  a  renowned  antiquary,  succeeded  in 
bringing  to  light,  in  the  Spring  of  1816,  from  the 
dust  and  rubbish  of  Prince's  scattered  library.  Since 
this  precious  discovery,  the  manuscripts  of  Win- 
throp's Journal  have  been  deciphered  by  the  Hon. 
.  James  Savage,  President  of  the  Massachusetts  His- 
torical Society,  and  published  in  two  volumes,  8vo. 
with  such  copious  additions,  emendations,  and  cor- 
rections, as  render  it  somewhat  problematical,  wrhich 
are  of  the  most  value,  the  original  compositions  of 
the  author,  or  the  various  improvements  of  his 
learned  commentator. 

Though  the  British  troops  evacuated  the  Capital, 
on  17  March,  1776;  yet  it  was  not  till  seven  years 
after,  that  the  scattered  members  of  this  Church  and 
society  reassembled  in  this  house.  In  the  mean 
tune,  they  accepted  an  invitation  to  worship  in 
King's  Chapel,  then  destitute  of  a  pastor. 

"In  July,  1782,  the  proprietors  of  King's  Chapel 
expecting  soon  to  resume  its  occupancy  for  their 
own  use,  the  Old  South  Church  and  Society  voted 
to  repair  their  meetinghouse."* 

To  this  period  it  had  remained  in  ruins.     Such 

*  Wisner's  Historical  Discourse,  p.  33. 


43 

was  its  dilapidated  state,  that  it  was  not  till,  2  March, 
1783,  that  this  Church  was  prepared  for  the  return 
of  its  proprietors. 

On  that  day  it  was  solemnly  rededicated  by  the 
Rev.  Joseph  Eckley,  who  had  been  ordained  the 
pastor  of  this  flock,  on  27  October,  1779. 

This  good  man  took  the  spiritual  oversight  of  his 
people,  in  troublous  times,  in  the  midst  of  a  calam- 
itous war  with  the  mother  country;  in  an  embar- 
rassing state  of  public  affairs ;  and  with  their  house 
of  worship  in  ruins.  But  so  earnestly  were  they 
devoted  to  the  worship  of  their  Maker,  that  "  they 
took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods" ;  and,  in 
the  spirit  of  their  pilgrim  fathers,  they  thought  no 
privations  and  sacrifices  too  great  to  be  cheerfully 
endured,  in  devotedness  to  their  country,  and  in  the 
cause  of  their  Lord  and  Master ;  till  the  grateful 
return  of  peace,  turned  their  mourning  into  joy,  and 
brought  with  it,  in  due  tune,  a  far  greater  measure 
of  worldly  prosperity,  than  they  had  ever  experienced 
before. 

In  process  of  time,  after  a  long  season  of  peace, 
when  the  churches  also  had  rest,  a  spirit  of  party  in 
religious  concerns  arose  among  us,  and  evinced  the 
need  of  some  friend  of  peace,  as  well  as  of  truth,  to 
calm  the  troubled  waves.  At  this  critical  juncture, 
the  then  pastor  of  this  church,  the  venerated  and 
beloved  Dr.  Eckley  seemed  to  be  the  very  man,  whom 


44 

the  necessities  of  the  times  required.  Like  the  good 
Baxter  of  our  mother  country,  he  enjoyed  the  confi- 
dence of  all  parties,  and  was  never  weary  in  follow- 
ing after  the  things,  which  make  for  peace.  Amid 
frequent  calls  for  his  friendly  interposition,  it  pleased 
his  Maker  to  take  him  away  to  "  the  rest,  which 
remaineth  for  the  people  of  God,"  and  leave  his 
friends  to  mourn  the  loss  of  one  so  well  fitted  to 
"  quench  the  coals  of  growing  strife,"  and  constrain 
them  to  pray,  hi  the  language  of  ancient  devotion, 
"  Help,  Lord,  for  the  godly  man  ceaseth ;  for  the 
faithful  fail  from  among  the  children  of  men." 

Whatever  unjustifiable  restraints  on  liberty  of 
conscience  may  have  been  imposed  by  our  zealous, 
yet  erring  fathers,  it  is  the  glory  of  our  Common- 
wealth, that  no  such  impositions  have  been,  for  a 
long  time,  tolerated.  All  are  free  to  worship  God, 
as  they  choose,  provided  they  demean  themselves 
peaceably,  and  infringe  not  the  equal  rights  of  oth- 
ers. In  the  present  state  of  society  unity  of  faith 
and  of  worship  is  neither  possible,  nor  desirable. 
Diversities  of  belief  and  of  practice  honestly  enter- 
tained have  a  direct  tendency  to  elicit  truth,  to  ex- 
pose and  condemn  error.  Let  it  then  be  the  resolute 
purpose  of  all  to  "  stand  fast  in  the  liberty,  where- 
with Christ  has  made  us  free,  and  never  suffer  our- 
selves to  be  entangled  in  a  yoke  of"  civil  or  eccle- 
siastical "  bondage." 


45 

The  leading  sentiments  thus  advanced  are  respect- 
fully commended  to  the  consideration  of  our  civil 
fathers,  convened  from  all  parts  of  the  state  to  devise 
measures  for  the  general  good,  and  to  see,  that  the 
Commonwealth  sustain  no  injury.  It  is  a  ground 
of  confidence,  that  the  two  highest  offices,  in  the  gift 
of  the  people,  are  still  likely  to  be  sustained  by  men, 
whom  the  people  have  delighted  to  honor ;  by  men, 
whose  large  experience  in  our  national,  as  well  as 
state  governments  gives  them  peculiar  facilities  for 
wisely  and  faithfully  discharging  the  duties  of  their 
high  and  responsible  station ;  by  men,  who  have 
taken  the  lead  in  the  temperance  reformation,  the 
glory  of  modern  times,  as  well  as  in  other  projects 
for  doing  good,  and  preventing  evil ;  and  who,  we 
feel  confident,  are  ready  to  suggest  and  to  favor  all 
such  measures,  as,  in  their  judgment,  shall  conduce 
to  the  public  welfare. 

With  equal  confidence,  we  trust,  that  the  members 
of  the  Honorable  Council,  and  both  branches  of  our 
state  legislature,  will  contribute  all  in  their  power, 
"  that  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land." 

It  is  your  privilege,  honored  rulers,  to  meet  in 
this  city  of  our  solemnities,  under  circumstances  of 
encouragement  and  of  hope,  to  witness  its  ever  grow- 
ing improvements,  and  to  devise  measures  for  the 
public  good.  In  imitation  of  our  venerable  fore- 
fathers, you  commence  your  official  duties,  in  this 


46 

ancient  temple,  sacred  to  religion  and  patriotism, 
with  supplicating  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  on 
your  labors  and  counsels.  Within  a  few  weeks,  our 
Capital  has  experienced  one  of  the  greatest  among 
temporal  blessings,  in  the  introduction  of  pure  water 
to  satisfy  the  wants  and  meet  the  convenience  of  all 
its  citizens,  thus  fulfilling  the  prediction  of  the  sa- 
cred bard.  "  There  is  a  river,  the  streams  whereof 
shall  make  glad  the  city  of  God,  the  holy  place  of 
the  tabernacles  of  the  Most  High."* 

Since  the  last  anniversary,  the  war  with  a  sister 
Republic,  deprecated  by  so  many  people,  has  been 
terminated ;  so  that  the  friends  of  peace  may  again 
"  beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their 
spears  into  pruning  hooks."  Whatever  differences 
of  opinion  may  have  arisen  respecting  the  commence- 
ment, the  progress,  or  the  termination  of  this  con- 
test, it  is  confidently  trusted,  that  no  alienations 
have  arisen,  which  will  obstruct  harmonious  co- 
operation in  prosecuting  the  concerns  of  the  public. 
What  thanks  are  not  due  to  the  Author  of  peace, 
and  Lover  of  concord,  that,  notwithstanding  the  agi- 
tations, throughout  our  land,  occasioned  by  the  elec- 
tion of  our  Chief  Magistrate  and  subordinate  officers, 

*  The  waters  of  the  Cochituate,  in  Framingham,  through  the  princi- 
pal reservoir,  in  Brookline,  of  22  acres'  extent  were  introduced  into  Bos- 
ton by  immense  gatherings  and  appropriate  solemnities,  on  25  October, 
1848. 


the  struggles  have  terminated  so  pacifically !  How 
different,  in  this  respect,  are  our  condition  and  pros- 
pects from  those  of  the  leading  powers  in  Europe, 
subject  to  perpetual  agitations,  and  threatened  with 
mighty  revolutions! 

Respected  legislators,  since  your  last  anniversary, 
the  providence  of  God  has  addressed  you,  in  a 
solemn  and  impressive  manner,  by  the  sudden  re- 
moval of  a  former  President  of  the  United  States ; 
but,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  of  a  highly  valued 
Representative  to  Congress  from  a  neighboring  Dis- 
trict. Though  at  an  advanced  period  of  life,  he  was 
arrested  in  the  midst  of  active  and  laborious  efforts 
for  the  public  good.  Never,  except  at  the  demise  of 
Washington,  has  there  been  so  general  a  mourning, 
throughout  our  land,  as  was  occasioned  by  his  dis- 
solution. Through  successive  generations,  with  his 
father  of  blessed  memory,  has  he  contributed  most 
effectually  to  the  glory  of  his  country.  Repeatedly 
has  his  voice  been  heard  in  this  sanctuary  of  free- 
dom, first,  while  a  young  man,  on  the  anniversary  of 
American  Independence ;  and,  in  two  instances,  in 
a  tribute  to  the  memory  of  two  former  Presidents  of 
the  United  States.  His  example  may  well  be  pro- 
posed for  universal  imitation,  in  his  fearless  defence 
of  the  rights  of  the  people,  in  untiring  application 
to  business,  and  in  an  undeviating  respect  to  the 
religious  institutions  of  his  fathers. 


48 

With  due  regard  to  the  means  of  national  pros- 
perity, which  have  been  mentioned,  others  will  nat- 
urally follow  in  their  train.  We  shall  be  careful, 
in  the  election  of  rulers,  to  choose  such  only,  as  are 
"  men  of  truth,  who  fear  God,  and  work  righteous- 
ness ;  wise  in  the  times  to  know,  what  the  people 
ought  to  do."  We  shall  not  only  have  good  laws ; 
but  they  will  be  fkithfully  executed.  We  shall 
strive  by  all  feasible  means  to  be  rid  of  slavery,  that 
darkest  blot  on  the  escutcheon  of  a  nation  glorying 
in  their  independence  and  freedom.  We  shall  cher- 
ish a  proper  sympathy  with  the  aboriginals  of  the 
country,  the  original  occupants  of  the  soil,  where 
God  placed  them,  whose  ancestors,  with  a  generous 
confidence  in  the  justice  of  the  first  European  set- 
tlers of  this  continent,  made  way  for  their  establish- 
ment ;  with  whom  we  have  professed  to  maintain 
friendly  relations ;  and  have,  in  successive  periods, 
entered  into  the  most  solemn  treaties,  guarantying 
their  privileges  and  possessions  against  aggression. 
While  they  cry  aloud  for  the  enjoyment  of  their  just 
rights,  we  shall  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  their  suppli- 
cations ;  but  shall  faithfully  observe  toward  them 
laws  of  our  own  enacting ;  and  shall  strive  to  civil- 
ize and  christianize,  instead  of  extirpating  them. 

In  fine,  "  that  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land,"  it  is 
not  only  indispensable,  that  we  elect  good  rulers, 
and  that  they  enact  wholesome  laws ;  but  also  that 


49 

we  yield  a  ready  obedience  to  all,  which  have  the 
sanction  of  constitutional  authority.  It  is  not  for 
individuals,  nor  even  for  single  states,  to  oppose  the 
statutes  of  the  government,  because  they  appear  to 
favor  some  portions  of  the  community  more  than 
others.  The  ultimate  decision  is  wisely  lodged  with 
our  learned,  independent,  and  impartial  Judiciary. 
The  constitution  was  originally  formed,  and  after- 
wards amended,  on  the  principle  of  mutual  conces- 
sions. In  no  other  way  can  it  be  continued,  as  the 
safeguard  of  our  union  and  of  our  individual  rights. 
Let  us  then  fear  God,  honor  the  constituted  authori- 
ties, and  contribute  to  the  utmost  of  our  power, 
"  that  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land."  By  the  gen- 
eral diffusion  of  such  a  spirit,  "  the  Lord  our  God 
will  be  with  us,  as  he  was  with  our  fathers ;  he  will 
never  leave  us,  nor  forsake  us."  Amen. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


THE  author  of  the  foregoing  discourse  has  been  desired  by 
members  of  the  General  Court  and  others  to  append  a  con- 
densed account  of  Election  sermons,  such  as  has  been  already 
annexed  to  Dr.  Osgood's,  in  1809,  and  to  Dr.  Bigelow's,  in 
1836,  with  such  additional  notices,  as  may  be  interesting. 

It  has  been  my  desire,  for  many  years,  to  prepare  a  com- 
plete history  of  Election  sermons  from  the  first  settlement  of 
this  country,  as  well  as  to  collect  such,  as  have  been  publish- 
ed. I  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  but  13  of  the  17th  cen- 
tury. I  have  however  secured  all  but  4  of  the  18th  century, 
and  the  49  already  delivered  in  the  19th  century.  I  get 
them  bound  in  decades ;  so  that  I  have  already  13  volumes 
thus  brought  together.  My  leading  motive  and  hope,  in  pub- 
lishing the  subjoined  list,  is,  that  antiquaries  may  correct 
whatever  mistakes  it  may  contain,  and  supply  its  defects,  so 
as  to  enable  me  to  complete  some  more  decades.  They  may 
be  the  more  inclined  to  do  this,  when  assured,  that  all  my 
volumes  of  this  description  will  be  sent,  after  my  decease,  to 
the  Library  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  a  pre- 
cious depository  for  such  documents. 

The  first  Election  sermon  noticed  in  Governor  Winthrop's 


54 

Journal  is  by  John  Cotton,  in  1634.  He  mentions  six  oth- 
ers. Why  no  account  is  given  by  him  of  the  other  twelve, 
probably  delivered,  during  the  period  embraced  by  his  history, 
it  is  difficult  to  explain. 

The  first  printed  Election  sermon,  which  has  come  to  my 
knowledge,  is,  in  1661,  by  John  Norton,  of  Boston.     This  is 
in  the  Library  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society. 
•   In  the  17th  century,  seventy  Election  sermons  may  have 
been  preached.     Of  these  I  possess  13. 

In  the  18th  century,  there  were  two  years,  1752  and  1764, 
in  which  no  Election  sermons  were  preached,  on  account  of 
the  small  pox,  in  Boston.  These  vacuities  may  be  supplied 
by  two  sermons  before  the  General  Court,  and  published  by 
their  order  ;  the  first  by  William  Gordon,  at  Watertown,  dur- 
ing the  siege  of  Boston,  31  May,  1775 ;  the  other  by  Dr. 
Cooper,  25  October,  1780,  being  the  day  of  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Constitution,  and  the  inauguration  of  the  new 
government. 

By  the  above  estimate  my  deficiency  of  Election  sermons 
is  57+4=61 

My  supply  is  13+96+49=158 

Total,  219 

It  is  observable,  that,  with  the  exceptions  already  men- 
tioned, there  is  no  recorded  failure  of  an  Election  sermon. 
One  indeed  was  addressed  to  the  convention,  on  the  deposition 
of  Andros,  in  1689.  Nor  have  we  an  account  of  any  Elec- 
tion sermon  delivered,  which  was  not  subsequently  published. 
Owing  to  the  paucity  of  ministers,  during  the  early  history 
of  the  State,  preachers  were  repeatedly  chosen  more  than 
once  to  deliver  the  Election  sermon.  Richard'Mather  de- 


55 

livered  two ;  his  son  Increase  Mather,  four ;  and  his  son 
Cotton  Mather,  four.  Samuel  Torrey  delivered  three  ;  John 
Norton,  two  ;  Jonathan  Mitchel,  two  ;  Thomas  Cobbett,  two  ; 
Samuel  Willard,  two ;  Joshua  Moody,  two ;  Benjamin  Col- 
man,  two,  the  last  in  1723. 

By  the  subjoined  list  it  will  appear,  that  the  preacher,  this 
year,  had  been  graduated  two  years  longer,  than  any,  whose 
College  standing  has  been  ascertained.  The  next  in  Colle- 
giate age  to  him  was  Samuel  Cheever,  the  preacher,  in  1712, 
who  had  been  graduated  53  years.  With  these  exceptions, 
but  16  preachers  are  mentioned,  who  had  been  out  of  Col- 
lege, when  they  officiated,  for  40  years  and  upwards ;  name- 
ly, 1711,  Peter  Thacher,  40  ;  1755,  Samuel  Checkley,  40  ; 
1777,  Samuel  Webster,  40 ;  1799,  Paul  Coffin,  40 ;  1703, 
Solomon  Stoddard,  41 ;  1705,  Joseph  Estabrook,  41 ;  1748, 
Daniel  Lewis,  41 ;  1750,  Samuel  Phillips,  42 ;  1743,  Na- 
thaniel Belles,  43 ;  1753,  John  Cotton,  43 ;  1713,  Samuel 
Treat,  44;  1702,  Increase  Mather,  46;  1715,  Jeremiah 
Shepard,  46;  1808,  Thomas  Allen,  47;  1707,  Samuel 
Belcher,  48  ;  1837,  Daniel  Dana,  49. 

The  youngest  in  College  graduation,  who  have  preached 
the  Election  sermon,  are,  1658,  Jonathan  Mitchel,  11 ;  1689r 
Cotton  Mather,  11 ;  1701,  Joseph  Belcher,  11 ;  1754,  Jona- 
than Mayhew,  10  ;  1825,  William  B.  Sprague,  10  ;  1834. 
J.  W.  Yeomans,  10. 

Of  162  cases,  which  have  been  examined,  the  average 
period,  after  graduation,  of  the  preachers,  was  28|  years. 

The  195  names  on  the  following  list  comprise  187  Congre- 
gationalists,  3  Baptists,  2  Episcopalians,  2  Universalists, 
1  Methodist. 

Of  the  sermons  specified,  144  were  by  graduates  of  Har- 


56 


vard  University;  22  were  by  preachers  educated  abroad; 
9  were  of  Yale  College,  7  of  Dartmouth  College,  4  of  Wil- 
liams College,  1  of  Brown  University,  1  of  Middlebury  Col- 
lege, 1  of  Union  College,  and  6  without  a  Collegiate  edu- 
cation. 

The  names  of  preachers,  whose  sermons  are  possessed  by 
the  writer  of  this  article,  will  be  in  Roman  characters  ;  others, 
in  Italics.  What  is  included  in  brackets  is  conjectural. 


Year.        Preacher. 

1631 

1632 

1633 

1634  *John  Cotton, 

1635 

1636 

1637  *  Thomas  Shepard, 

1638 

1639 

1640 

1641  *Nath.  Ward, 

1642 

1643  *Ezek.  Rogers, 

1644 

1645 

1646  *Edtc.  Norrls, 

1647 

1648  *Zach.  Symmes, 

1649  *  Thomas  Cobbett. 
1650 

1651 
1652 
1653 
1654 
1655 

1656  *Chs.  Cliauncy, 

1657  *John  Norton, 

1658  *Jona.  Mitchel, 


Place. 

Boston, 
Cambridge. 

Ipswich. 
Rowley. 

Salem. 

Charlestown. 
Ipswich. 


Text. 


[Haggai  ii.  4.] 


Orad. 


President  H.  U. 

Boston. 

Cambridge. 


H.  U.  1647 


57 


Year.       Preacher. 

Place. 

Text. 

Grad. 

1659  *John  Eliot, 

Roxbury. 

1660  *Rich.  Mather, 

Dorchester, 

Ps.  Ixxvii.  20. 

1661  *John  Norton, 

Boston, 

Jer.  xxx.  17. 

1662 

1663  *John  Higginson, 

Salem, 

I  Kings  viii.  57,  58,  59. 

1664  *Ricfi.  Mather, 

Dorchester, 

Haggai  ii.  4. 

1665  *[Johri]  Russell, 

Hadley, 

Ps.  cxxii.  6. 

H.  U.  1645 

1666  "[Thomas'}  Cobbett, 

Ipswich, 

II  Chron.  xv.  2. 

1667  *Jona.  Mitchel, 

Cambridge, 

Neh.  ii.  10. 

H.  U.  1647 

1668  "William  Stoughton, 

Dorchester, 

Isa.  Ixiii.  8. 

H.  U.  1650 

1669  *John  Davenport, 

Boston, 

II  Sam.  xxiii.  3. 

1670  *Sam.  Danforth, 

Roxbury, 

Mat.  xi.  7,  8,  9. 

H.  U.  1643 

1671  "John  Oxenbridge, 

Boston, 

Hosea  viii.  4. 

1672  *Thomas  Shepard, 

Charlestown, 

Jer.  ii.  31. 

H.  U.  1653 

1673  *Urian  Oakes, 

President  H.  U. 

Deut.  xxxii.  29. 

H.  U.  1649 

1674  "Samuel  Torrey, 

Weymouth, 

Rev.  ii.  5. 

1675  "Joshua  Moody, 

Judges  ii.  12. 

H.  U.  1653 

1676  "William  Hubbard, 

Ipswich, 

I  Chron.  xii.  32. 

H.  U.  1642 

1677  "Increase  Mather, 

Boston, 

I  Chron.  xxviii.  9. 

H.  U.  1656 

1678  *Samuel  Phillips, 

Rowley, 

1  Tim.  ii.  2. 

H.  U.  1650 

1679  "James  Allen, 

Boston, 

I  Kings  viii.  57. 

1680  *        Bulkley, 

I  Sam.  ii.  30. 

1681  *  Wm.  Brimsmead, 

Marlboro', 

Jer.  vi.  8. 

1682  *Sam.  Willard, 

Boston, 

Jer.  xxvi.  12,  13. 

H.  U.  1659 

1683  *Sam.  Torrey, 

Weymouth, 

Deut.  xxxii.  47. 

1684  *[Johri\  Hale, 

[Beverly] 

Haggai  ii.  4. 

H.  U.  1657 

1685  "William  Adams, 

Dedham, 

Isa.  Ixvi.  2. 

H.  U.  1671 

1686  *Mich.  Wigglesworth, 

Maiden, 

Rev.  ii.  4. 

H.  U.  1651 

1687 

1688 

\. 

1689  'Cotton  Mather,\ 

Boston, 

II  Chron.  xv.  2. 

H.  U.  1678 

1690  "Cotton  Mather, 

Boston, 

Neh.  v.  19. 

H.  U:  1678 

1691 

1692  "[Joshua]  Moody, 

[Boston] 

H.  U.  1653 

1693  "Increase  Mather, 

Boston, 

Isa.  1.  26. 

H.  U.  1656 

1694  "Samuel  Willard, 

Boston, 

II  Sam.  xxiii.  3. 

H.  U.  1659 

1695  "Samuel  Torrey, 

Weymouth, 

Hosea  i.  7. 

t  To  the  Conyention,  when  Andres  wa*  depoted. 

8 


\"ear.       Preacher. 

Place. 

Text. 

Grad. 

1696  "Cotton  Mather, 

Boston, 

I  Sam.  vii.  6,  7,  8,  9,  10.  H.  U.  1678 

1697  "[John]  Dcmforth, 

[Dorchester] 

H.  U.  1677 

1698  'Nicholas  Noyes, 

Salem, 

Jeremiah  xxxi.  23. 

H.  U.  1667 

1699  *  Increase  Mather, 

Boston, 

I  Samuel  ii.  30. 

H.  U.  1656 

1700  "Cotton  Mather, 

Boston, 

Psalm  o.\l  vii.  2. 

H.  U.  1678 

1701  "Joseph  Belcher, 

Dedham, 

Job  xxix.  25. 

H.  U.  1690 

1702  "Increase  Mather, 

Boston, 

Esther  x.  3. 

H.  U.  1656 

1703  "Solomon  Stoddard, 

Northampton, 

Exodus  xx.  12. 

H.  U.  1662 

1704  "Jonathan  Russell, 

Barnstable, 

Nehemiah  ix.  33. 

H.  U.  1675 

1705  "Joseph  Estabrook, 

Concord, 

Genesis  xii.  2. 

H.  U.  1664 

1706  "John  Rogers, 

Ipswich, 

I  Kings  viii.  57,  58. 

H.  U.  1684 

1707  "Samuel  Belcher, 

Newbury, 

Matthew  vi.  10. 

H.  U.  1659 

1708  "John  Norton, 

Hingham, 

Numbers  xiv.  11. 

H.  U.  1671 

1709  "Grindal  Rawson, 

Mendon, 

Jeremiah  xiii.  16. 

H.  U.  1678 

1710  "Ebenezer  Pemberton, 

Boston, 

Psalm  Ixxxii.  6,  7. 

H.  U.  1691 

1711  *  Peter  Thacher, 

Milton, 

Isaiah  Iviii.  18. 

H.  U.  1671 

1712  "Samuel  Cheever, 

Marblehead, 

Psalm  xxii.  27,  28. 

H.  U.  1659 

1713  *Samuel  Treat, 

Eastham, 

Psalm  ii.  8. 

H.  U.  1669 

1714  "Samuel  Danforth, 

Taunton, 

Psalm  Ixxx.  14. 

H.  U.  1683 

1715  *  Jeremiah  Shepard, 

Lynn, 

Isaiah  Ixiii.  12. 

H.  U.  1669 

1716  "Benjamin  Wadsworth, 

Boston, 

Psalm  Ixxviii.  72. 

H.  U.  1690 

1717  "Roland  Cotton, 

Sandwich, 

Ecclesiastes  xii.  13. 

H.  U.  1685 

1718  "Benjamin  Colman, 

Boston, 

Nehemiah  v.  19. 

H.  U.  1692 

1719  "William  Williams, 

Hatfield, 

Judges  ii.  2. 

H.  U.  1683 

1720  "Nathaniel  Stone, 

Harwich, 

Romans  xiii.  3. 

H.  U.  1690 

1721  "Samuel  Moody, 

York, 

Luke  iv.  14,  15. 

H.  U.  1697 

1722  "John  Hancock, 

Lexington, 

Luke  xxii.  25. 

H.  U.  1689 

1723  "Benjamin  Colman, 

Boston, 

I  Chron.  xxviii.  8. 

H.  U.  1692 

1724  "Joseph  Sewall, 

Boston, 

II  Samuel  xxiii.  3,  4. 

H.  U.  1707 

1725  "Ebenezer  Thayer, 

Roxbury, 

Jeremiah  vi.  8. 

H.  U.  1708 

1726  "Peter  Thacher, 

Boston, 

Psalm  Ixxvii.  20. 

H.  U.  1696 

1727  "Joseph  Baxter, 

Medfield, 

I  Timothy  ii.  1,2. 

H.  U.  1693 

1728  "Robert  Breck, 

Marlborough, 

Deuteronomy  v.  29. 

H.  U.  1700 

1729  "Jeremiah  Wise, 

Berwick, 

Romans  xiii.  4. 

H.  U.  1700 

1730  *Thomas  Prince, 

Boston, 

I  Samuel  ii.  6,  7. 

H.  U.  1707 

1731  "Samuel  Fiske, 

Salem, 

Psalm  ci.  6. 

H.  U.  1708 

1732  "John  Swift, 

Framingham, 

Luke  xiii.  9. 

H.  U.  1697 

1733  "Samuel  Wigglesworth, 

Ipswich, 

Revelation  iii.  1,  2. 

H.  U.  1707 

1734  "John  Barnard, 

Marblehead, 

Proverbs  xvi.  12. 

H.  U.  1700 

59 


Year.       Preacher.  Place.  Text. 

1735  *John  Prentice,  Lancaster,  nChron.xvii.3,4,5,6 

1736  *Edward  Holyoke,  Marblehead,  Nehemiah  vii.  2. 

1737  "Israel  Loring,  Sudbury,  Revelation  ii.  5. 

1738  *John  Webb,  Boston,  Isaiah  ix.  6. 

1739  *Peter  Clark,  Salem,  Hosea  xi.  12. 

1740  "William  Cooper,  Boston,  Psalm  ii.  10, 11, 12. 

1741  "William  Williams,  Weston,  Zechariah  xii.  5. 

1742  "Nathaniel  Appleton,  Cambridge,  Psalm  Ixxii.  1, 2,  3. 

1743  'Nathaniel  Eelles,  Scituate,  Deut.  xxxii.  47. 

1744  "James  Allen,  Brookline,  Isaiah  vi.  1. 

1745  *Ebenezer  Gay,  Hingham,  II  Samuel  xxi.  17. 

1746  *John  Barnard.  Andover,  Psalm  Ixxxii.  1. 

1747  *Charles  Chauncy,  Boston,  II  Samuel  xxiii.  3. 

1748  "Daniel  Lewis,  Pembroke,  Isaiah  xxii.  21. 

1749  *  William  Balch,  Bradford,  Psalm  cxxii.  6, 7, 8, 9. 

1750  *Samuel  Phillips,  Andover,  Proverbs  viii.  15, 16. 

1751  "William  Welsteed,  Boston,  Psalm  xlvii.  9. 

1752  Small  pox  in  Boston.    No  sermon. 

1753  *John  Cotton,  Newton,  Isaiah  xxxiii.  6. 

1754  *  Jonathan  Mayhew,  Boston,  Matthew  xxv.  21. 

1755  "Samuel  Checkley,  Boston,  Zephaniah  i.  15. 

1756  "Samuel  Cooper,  Boston,  Hebrews  xi.24;  25, 26. 

1757  *Ebenezer  Pemberton,        Boston,  Deuteronomy  v.  29. 

1758  *Thomas  Frink,  Rutland,  Isaiah  xxxii.  1,  2. 

1759  "Joseph  Parsons,  Bradford,  Esther  x.  3. 

1760  *Samuel  Dunbar,  Stoughton,  II  Chronicles  xv.  1,2. 

1761  *Benjamin  Stevens,  Kittery,  II  Corinthians  iii.  17. 

1762  *  Abraham  Williams,  Sandwich,  I  Corinthians  xii.  25. 

1763  "Thomas  Barnard,  Salem,  Judges  ix.  7 — 15. 

1764  Small  pox  in  Boston.    No  sermon. 

1765  "Andrew  Eliot,  Boston,  I  Chronicles  xii.  32. 

1766  "Edward  Barnard,  Haverhill,  Nehemiah  v.  19. 

1767  "Ebenezer  Bridge,  Chelmsford,  DeuU  xxxiii.  29. 

1768  "Daniel  Shute,  Hingham,  Ezra  x.  4. 

1769  "Jason  Haven,  Dedham,  Psalm  Ixxv.  6, 7. 

1770  "Samuel  Cooke,  Cambridge,  II  Samuel  xxiii.  3, 4. 

1771  "John  Tucker,  Newbury,  I  Peter  ii.  13, 14, 15, 16 

1772  "Moses  Parsons,  Newbury,  Proverbs  xxi.  1. 

1773  "Charles  Turner,  Duxbury,  Romans  xiii.  4. 


Grad. 
.17.1700 
U.  1705 
U.  1701 
U.  1708 
U. 1712 
U. 1702 
U.  1705 
U.  1712 
U.  1699 
U.  1710 
U.  1714 
U.  1709 
U. 1721 
U.  1707 
U.  1724 
U.  1708 
U.  1716 

U.  1710 

U. 1744 
U.  1715 
U.1743 
U.  1721 
U. 1722 
U. 1720 
U.  1723 
U. 1740 
U.  1744 
U.  1732 

U.  1737 
U.  1736 
U.  1736 
U.1743 
U. 1754 
U. 1735 
U.1741 
U. 1736 
U.  1752 


60 


Year.       Preacher. 

1774  'Gad  Hitchcock, 

1775  'Samuel  Langdon,f 
*William  Gordon,J 

1776  'Samuel  West, 

1777  'Samuel  Webster, 

1778  *PhUlips  Payson, 

1779  *Samuel  Stillman, 

1780  'Simeon  Howard, 
*Samuel  Cooper,§ 

1781  'Jonas  Clark, 

1782  *Zabdiel  Adams, 

1783  *Henry  Cumings, 

1784  *Moses  Hemmenway, 

1785  'William  Symmes, 

1786  *Samuel  West, 

1787  *Joseph  Lyman, 

1788  'David  Parsons, 

1789  'Josiah  Bridge, 

1790  *Daniel  Foster, 

1791  'Chandler  Robbins, 

1792  'David  Tappan, 

1793  'Samuel  Parker, 

1794  'Samuel  Deane, 

1795  'Perez  Fobes, 

1796  'Jonathan  French, 

1797  'John  Mellen, 

1798  'Nathaniel  Emmons, 

1799  'Paul  Coffin, 

1800  'Joseph  McKeen, 

1801  'Aaron  Bancroft, 

1802  'Thomas  Baldwin, 

1803  'Reuben  Puffer, 

1804  'Samuel  Kendal, 

1805  'John  Allyn, 


Place.  Text.  Grad. 

Pembroke,  Proverbs  xxix.  2.         H.  U.  1743 

President  of  H.  U.Isaiah  i.  26.  H.  U.  1740 


Roxbury, 

Dartmouth, 

Salisbury, 

Chelsea, 

Boston, 

Boston, 

Boston, 

Lexington, 

Lunenburg, 

Billerica, 

Wells, 

Andover, 

Needham, 

Hatfield, 

Amherst, 

Sudbury, 


Jeremiah  xxx.  20,  21. 
Titus  iii.  1.  H.  U.  1754 

Ezekiel  xlv  8,  9.  H.  U.  1737 
Galatians  iv.  26  &31.  H.  U.  1754 
Matthew  xxii.  21. 
Exodus  xviii.  21.  H.  U.  1758 
Jeremiah  xxx.  20, 21.  H.  U.  1743 
Psalmxlvii.8,9.  H.  U.  1752 
Ecclesiastes  viii.  4.  H.  U.  1759 
I  Peter  v.  5.  H.  U.  1760 

Galatians  v.  13.  H.  U.  1755 

I  Chronicles  xxviii.  8.  H.  U.  1750 


Matthew  xx.  27. 
Romans  xiii.  4. 
Proverbs  xxiv.  2. 
Psalm  Ixxxii.  1. 


New  Braintree,    Proverbs  viii.  16. 


H.  U.  1761 
Y.  C.  1767 
H.  U.  1771 
H.  U.  1758 
D.  C.  1777 


Plymouth, 

Newbury, 

Boston, 

Portland, 

Raynham, 

Andover, 

Bamstable, 

Franklin, 

Buxton, 

Beverly, 

Worcester, 

Boston, 

Berlin, 

Weston, 

Duxbury, 


II  Chronicles  xii.  12.  Y.  C.  1756 
Psalm  Ixxxvii.  20.  H.  U.  1771 
Proverbs  xiv.  34.  H.  U.  1764 
Proverbs  iii.  6.  H.  U.  1760 

n  Peter  ii.  10, 11, 12.  H.  U.  1762 


Romans  xiii.  5. 
I  Peter  ii.  15. 
Daniel  vi.  28. 
H  Samuel  xxi.  17. 
Matthew  v.  14. 
Isaiah  Ix.  21, 22. 
I  Peter  ii.  16. 
Luke  xix.  14. 
Deut.  xxxii.  46,  47. 


H.  U.  1771 
H.  U.  1770 
Y.  C.  1767 
H.  U.  1759 
D.  C.  1774 
H.  U.  1778 

H.  U.  1778 
H.  U.  1782 


Rom.  x.  l.ix.  1,2,3.  H.  U.  1785 


t  Preached  before  Provincial  Congress,  Watertown,  31  May. 

t  Preached  before  the  General  Court,  Watertown,  19  July,  assembled  for  choice  of  Coun- 
sellors. 
}  On  25  October,  1780,  at  the  commencement  of  the  State  Constitution. 


61 


Year.        Preacher.  Place. 

1806  *Samuel  Shepard,  Lenox, 

1807  *William  Bentley,  Salem, 

1808  *Thomas  Allen,  Pittsfield, 

1809  *David  Osgood,  Medford, 

1810  *EIijah  Parish,  Newbury, 

1811  *Thomas  Thacher,  Dedham, 

1812  *Edmund  Foster,  Littleton, 

1813  William  Allen,  Pittsfield, 

1814  *  Jesse  Appleton, 

1815  James  Flint, 

1816  "John  T.  Kirkland, 

1817  Thomas  Snell, 

1818  *Zeph.  S.  Moore, 

1819  *Peter  Eaton, 

1820  William  Jenks, 

1821  *Henry  Ware, 

1822  Dan  Huntingdon, 

1823  'Nathaniel  Thayer, 

1824  Daniel  Sharp, 

1825  William  B.  Sprague, 

1826  Orville  Dewey, 

1827  Moses  Stuart, 

1828  James  Walker, 

1829  *Wilbur  Fiske, 

1830  *WilIiam  Ellery  Channing,  Boston, 

1831  Leonard  Withington,         Newbury, 

1832  Paul  Dean, 

1833  *Wm.  B.  O.  Peabody, 

1834  John  W.  Yeomans, 

1835  Jona.  M.  Wainwright, 

1836  Andrew  Bigelow, 

1837  Daniel  Dana, 

1838  Richard  S.  Storrs, 

1839  Mark  Hopkins, 

1840  *John  Codman, 

1841  *David  Damon, 

1842  Ezra  Stiles  Gannett, 

1843  Samuel  C.  Jackson, 

1844  E.  H.Chapin, 


Text-  Grad. 

I  Chronicles  xxix.  12.  Y.  C.  1793 
Deuteronomy  xxxiii.  3.  H.  U.  1777 
I  Timothy  iv.  8.  H.  U.  1761 

Judges  ix.  56, 57.  H.  U.  1771 
Romans  xiii.  4.  D.  C.  1785 

Judges  viii.  23, 24.  H.  U.  1775 
I  Cor.  xii.  18, 19, 20, 21.  Y.  C.  1778 
John  xviii.  36.  H.  U.  1802 

Pres.  Bowd.  Col.  Isaiah  xxxiii.  6.  D.  C.  1792 

Bridgewater,        Deuteronomy  iv.  9.      H.  U.  1802 
President  H.  U.  Psalm  cvi.  4, 5.  H.  U.  1789 

N.  Brookfield,      Isaiah  iv.  5.  D.  C.  1795 

Pres.  Wms.  Col.  Mark  ii.  27, 28.  D.  C.  1793 

Boxford,  Romans  iii.  1, 2.  H.  U.  1787 

Boston,  II  Corinthians  iii.  17.  H.  U.  1797 

Hollis  Prof.  Cam.  Acts  xvii.  26.  H.  U.  1785 

Hadley,  Acts  xviii.  14, 15.        Y.  C.  1794 

Lancaster,  Deuteronomy  xxvi.  19.  H.  U.  1789 

Boston,  Jeremiah  xxx.  19, 20, 21 . 

West  Springfield,  Luke  xii.  48.  Y.  C.  1815 

New  Bedford,      Psalm  Ixxiii.  2,  3.        W.  C.  1814 
Prof.  Andover,     II  Corinthians  iii.  17.    Y.  C.1799 
Charlestown,        Exodus  xviii.  21.          H.  U.  1814 
I  Peter  iv.  7.  B.  U.  1815 

John  viii.  31 ,  32, 36.  H.  U.  1798 
Titus  ii.  15.  Y.  C.  1814 

Romans  xiii.  1. 

Acts  xxii.  28.  H.  U.  1816 

Matthew  vi.  33.  W.  C.  1824 

Deuteronomy  xv.  11.  H.  U.  1812 


Wilbraham, 


Boston, 

Springfield, 

Pittsfield, 

Boston, 

Taunton, 

Newburyport, 

Brain  tree, 


Exodus  xiv.  15. 
Revela.  xxii.  2. 
Romans  xiii.  1. 


Pres.  Wms.  Col.  Acts  v.  29. 
Dorchester,          Philippians  iv.  5. 
WestCambridge,  Galatians  v.  13. 
Boston,  I  Corinthians  x.  31. 

Andover,  II  Peter  ii.  17. 

Charlestown,        I  Corinthians  xii.  26. 


H.  U. 181* 
D.  C.  1788 
W.  C.  1807 
W.  C.  1824 
H.  U. 1802 
H.  U.  1811 
H.  U.  1820 
M.  C.  1821 


62 


Year.        Preacher  Place.  Text.  Grad. 

1845  Milton  P.  Braman,  Danvers,  II  Samuel  vii.  16.  H.  U.  1819 

1846  George  Putnam,  Roxbury,  Psalm  cxix.  46.  H.  U.  1826 

1847  John  H.  Bisbee,  Worthington,  II  Samuel  xxiii.  3.  U.  C.  1831 

1848  Alexander  H.  Vinton,  Boston,  Romans  xiii.  1. 

1849  John  Pierce,  Brookline,  Psalm  Ixxxv.  9.  H.  U.  1793 


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